Saddell Abbey Ruins, Argyll and Bute, United Kingdom

Saddell Abbey was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1207 by Ragnall, son of Somairle mac Gille Brigte. It was established by monks from Mellifont Abbey in Ireland. Very little is known about the abbey and its history. It probably enjoyed several centuries of good monastic life, but by the reign of James IV of Scotland monastic life had apparently disappeared. It was proposed to the Pope that the bishopric of Argyll should be moved from Lismore to Saddell as the former was in ruins.

References:

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User Reviews

Matt Huntley (2 years ago)
What can I say except the place is amazing, stayed here with my family and friends and already looking forward to our next stay. Set in a beautiful location, the ideal place to relax and unwind

Eddie Ford (3 years ago)
Came here for a wedding in November, it's a very tranquil Scenic little place. We stayed in the Cottage which was right next to "the grip", which is really a pleasure to stay in. As there is no WI-Fi or TV, it really is a chance to really get away from it all. As expected it was all very clean and tidy, beds were comfortable. Extra (wool) blankets, pillows, sheets etc etc were all freely available, so no chance of getting cold in bed. The beach and the rest of the castle grounds are definitely worth exploring as well as rest of the area as everywhere you look looks like a scene from a movie or postcard. In conclusion I would come here again as you can properly chill out.

Greg Park (3 years ago)
A beautiful place to spend a few hours.

David Bromby (3 years ago)
Great to be on beach where the video for the song Mull of Kintyre was made

Max Mallows (3 years ago)
What a place to stay! So magical and so much exploring to do. I don't want to give it all away but seriously recommend getting a group together and spending a long weekend here. The housekeeper can arrange for bikes to be rented and dropped off too if you want to bike a bit further afield. Also be sure to check out the secret bothy at the far end of the beach during the day.

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Heraclea Lyncestis

Heraclea Lyncestis was an ancient Greek city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.

Heraclea was a strategically important town during the Hellenistic period, as it was at the edge of Macedon"s border with Epirus to the west and Paeonia to the north, until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The main Roman road in the area, Via Egnatia went through Heraclea, and Heraclea was an important stop. The prosperity of the city was maintained mainly due to this road.

The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during the late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity, the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment.

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. A small and a great basilica, the bishop"s residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of the early Christian art period.

The city was sacked by Ostrogoth/Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and again in 479 AD. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites, a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of the deserted city theatre several huts were built.

The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century.

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