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

Andy Thomson (2 years ago)
lovely beach fir walking dog drove past entrance as didnt realise u had to go to castle fr entrance to beach ..peace and quiet with a lovely view

Lynn Richardson (2 years ago)
If you want to sit on a quiet beach and listen to mother nature breathing in and out. This is the place for you.

Babe Root (2 years ago)
Where Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, and The Campbeltown Pipe Band...filmed the famous video, "Mull Of Kintyre", from 1977. What a splendid track. It will always be in the hearts of those who love The Beatles, Wings, The Bagpipes, and of course...Scotland. I am from, and live in Texas, and am of Scotch/Irish descent...and this song...sends courses of emotion through my soul...that longs to know, who and how my ancestors lived. God bless...the Scotch/Irish. (And Paul, Linda, and Denny). ❤

Matt Huntley (4 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 (5 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.

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The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians. The county became a privileged refuge for persecuted Cathars.

The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.

From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace. From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of Navarre and the last of them, made Henri IV of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.

As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

Until the Revolution, the fortress remained a garrison. Its life was brightened with grand receptions for its governors, including the Count of Tréville, captain of musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.

Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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