Arbroath Abbey

Went into Arbroath to shop this morning. Did the round of Charity Shops - at least five! Then the two Pound Shops where I bought a suet log holder which I hope will foil the crows and pigeons. The Abbey was looking particularly grand and the red sandstone stood out in the sun. Not easy to get a good shot because it is surround by a high hedge. You can get inside for £5, of course!

The Abbey was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion.
The round window high up that you can see was originally lit up at night as a beacon for mariners. Thus, inhabitants of Arbroath are colloquially known as 'Reid Lichties'. I think that’s Scots for ‘Red Lighters’.

The Declaration of Arbroath is believed to have been written in Arbroath Abbey. It is in the form of a letter to Pope John XXII, dated 6 April 1320, to confirm Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state and defending Scotland's right to use military action when unjustly attacked.

The Declaration was part of a campaign to assert Scotland's position as an independent kingdom, rather than being a feudal land controlled by England's Norman kings.