Holywood

Title

Holywood

Also Known As

Darnounguille, Dawonguill, Derchungale, Dercongal, Halywode, Holy Bush, Holywood in Nithsdale, Retingal, sacer Nemus, Saint Boyse, Sanctum Nemus

Dates

Founded by 1225; dissolved 16th c.

Dedication

Holy Cross

Affiliation

Soulseat

Medieval Diocese

Galloway

Circary

Scotland

History

While there may have been an older monastery on the site, the Premonstratensian community at Holywood was founded by 1225. Its founder may have been Alan, lord of Galloway. From the 1360s, Holywood was home to an almshouse for men.

The abbey was suppressed in the 16th century. Its former church served as a Protestant parish church until the 18th century. It was subsequently demolished, and nothing remains of the abbey of Holywood today.

Heads of Community

Abbots

Odo Ydonc, bef. 1225-1235
Gregory, 13th c.?
Dungald, fl. 1297
Walter, fl. 1371
William I of Adavogan, 1400-1414
Thomas I Adunyl, fl. 1431
Nicholas Welsh, fl. 1480
Archibald Douglas, fl. 1493
John I, 1495-1502
J(ames?) Welch, 1505-1523
John II Maxwell, 1523
William II Kennedy, 1523-1541
Thomas II Campbell, 1548-1580

Status

Abbey

Archival Sources

Kew, The National Archives

SC 13/D50 (n.d.; seal)

Thornhill, Drumlanrig Castle Archives

Private archives, no public access. Queries to National Register of Archives for Scotland.

NRAS1 Drumlanrig Muniments, Nos 560-650

NRAS1275, Bundles 253-6, 608-10, 644

Bibliography

Aitken, John Carlyle. “Some Notes on the Abbey of Holywood and on the Welshes of Colliestoun and Craigenputtock.” Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 4 (1887): 110–25. https://books.google.com/books?id=Fuc4AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA110.

Anonymous. “Holywood, Cowhill Tower, The Isle, Blackwood, Dalswinton, and Quarrelwood.” Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Third Series, 9 (1922): 207–13. http://www.dgnhas.org.uk/tdgnhas/3009.pdf.

Barbour, James. “The Church Bells of Holywood and Kirkmahoe, and the Church and Municipal Bells of Lochmaben, Part One.” Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 14 (1898): 82–87. https://books.google.com/books?id=3shAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA82.

Black, George F. “Holywood Abbey.” Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 7 (1891): 126–29. http://www.dgnhas.org.uk/tdgnhas/2007.pdf.

Crowe, Chris. “Holywood, an Early Mediaeval Monastery: Problems and Possibilities.” Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Third Series, 76 (2002): 113–17. https://dgnhas.org.uk/sites/default/files/transactions/3076.pdf#page=118.

Hamilton-Grierson, Philip J. “Some Documents Relating to Holywood.” Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Third Series, 6 (1919): 168–91. https://books.google.com/books?id=XslAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA168.

J.H.R. “Holywood Premonstratensian Chartulary.” Notes and Queries 11 S. VI, no. 155 (December 14, 1912): 468. https://books.google.com/books?id=YFkCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA468.

Martin, J.W. “Excavations at Holywood.” Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 18, no. 1 (1907): 103–4. https://ia601407.us.archive.org/30/items/transactionsjour18dumf/transactionsjour18dumf.pdf.

———. “Ruins and Stones of Holywood Abbey.” Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 13 (1897): 67–70. https://books.google.com/books?id=ExcXAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA67.

Revirosco. “Holywood: A Forgotten Dumfriesshire Abbey.” The Gallovidian, 1922, 25–40.

Williams, James. “A Mediaeval Belt Shape from Holywood Abbey, Dumfriesshire.” Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 50 (1973): 115–16.

Image Credit

Sketch of the abbey ruins, ca. 1849. Wikimedia.

Files

Collection

Scotland

Citation

“Holywood,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/67.

Geolocation