186 LOCHFERGUS. 



under a religious habit." The ruse was successful, and he not 

 only obtained the King's pardon, but also " The Kiss of Peace." 

 The King and he, therefore, became reconciled. To the assist- 

 ance thus rendered, and coupled with the King's extreme religious 

 fervour, we may safely advance as cogent reasons for the many 

 abbeys which in after years Fergus founded in Galloway. 



Fergus was now supreme ruler of Galloway, and resided at 

 his Castle or Palace of Lochfergus. Thus we may fix the build- 

 ing of the castle or palace at this period. For many years he 

 devoted his time and attention to the founding of religious houses. 

 The first one he founded was at Saulseat, in the parish of Inch, 

 about three miles from Stranraer, which he handed over to Monks 

 from Premontre in Picardy. The next was the Priory of Whit- 

 horn. Some fragments of this Prior)- still remain, notably the 

 beautiful south door of late Xorman work. The west tower 

 stood in the time of Symson, when he wrote his large description 

 of Galloway in 1684. Tongland Abbey followed next in the order 

 of building, then St. Maria de Trayll, now known as St. Mary's 

 Isle, Kirkcudbright, and lastly Dundrennan, which is a very fine 

 piece of early pointed work. The Norman style of architecture 

 and the Monks he placed in these Abbeys all go to prove that he 

 was not a Gallovidian by birth, because the religion of the 

 Gallovidians differed materially from that of the Abbeys. There 

 seems no doubt that Fergus must have been a man of deep 

 religious feeling, but at the same time we cannot but recognise the 

 fact that in the founding of these Abbeys he was simply carrying 

 out the orders of King David, nicknamed the " Prince of Monk 

 feeders," or "The sore sanct to the Crown," and thus in some 

 measure making atonement for the grievous offence which he had 

 formerly committed against his Sovereign. Fergus Castle at this 

 period must have been a very important place. It was the 

 favourite home of his wife, the Princess Elizabeth, whose courtly 

 manners and kindly disposition did much to tone down the semi- 

 civilised inhabitants. 



A Second Rebellion and the End. 



During the subse<]uent part of the reign of David there is 

 nothing of importance to chronicle regarding Fergus or Loch- 

 fergus. David died in 1153, and was succeeded bv his grandson 



