sect, if. THE COUNTY OF FIF. 67 



for the Order of the ^Benedictine Monks; a build- 

 ing so spacious, that, we are told, three sovereign 

 princes, with all their retinue, might have lodged 

 conveniently within its precincts* It was at first 

 governed by a prior, but was, afterwards, chang- 

 ed into a monastery by David I. This abbey 

 was almost wholly burnt down by the English, 

 in the reign of Edward I. And the principal 

 parts of the church, with some remaining cells 

 belonging to the monks, were demolished, it is 

 supposed, at the Reformation. The present 

 ruins of the abbey are inconsiderable ; but there 

 still remains a window, which belonged to the 

 Frater hall, and which strikes by it extraordinary 

 size, and the beauty of its workmanship. And 

 the present church of Dursfermline, the remains 

 of the old abbey church, may serve to give some 

 idea of the ancient grandeur of that venerable 

 fabric. 



Here, too, is to be seen the fragments of a 

 2tftter or Cattle, built by Malcolm III., and in 

 which he resided ; and also the south-west wall 

 of a magnificent Palace^ probably the abode also 

 of royalty, though the period of its erection is 

 unknown. 



I n the parish of Newburgh, and in the mid- 

 dle of an extensive field of rich land, gently ris- 

 ing from the edge of the river Tay, stand the 

 venerable ruins of the Abbey ofUttdopes. This 

 monastery was founded in the 1 2th century, and 

 dedicated to St Mary and St Andrew. The 

 monks were of the Order of St Benedict. They 

 had many churches, and drew large revenues 

 from several different counties. The extent of 

 ground occupied by the buildings of the abbey 1 



I 2 



