The site of the 1320 Declaration of Scottish Independence

In the Scottish town of Arbroath, Arbroath Abbey was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion for a group of Tironensian Benedictine monks from Kelso Abbey. It was consecrated in 1197 with a dedication to the deceased Saint Thomas Becket, whom the king had met at the English court. It was William's only personal foundation - he was buried before the high altar of the church in 1214.

The abbey was given independence from Kelso Abbey and endowed generously by the king, including income from 24 parishes and land in every royal burgh. The monks were allowed to run a market and build a harbour. The Abbey, which was the richest in Scotland, is most famous for its association with the 1320 Declaration of Scottish Independence believed to have been drafted by Abbot Bernard, who was the Chancellor of Scotland under King Robert I.

King James V stayed at the abbey for four days in July 1529. The Abbey fell into ruin after the Reformation, and from 1590 onward, its stones were raided for buildings in the town of Arbroath. This continued until 1815 when steps were taken to preserve the remaining ruins. Today, the red sandstone ruins stand at the top of the High Street in Arbroath, cared for by Historic Environment Scotland.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons