Inchmahome Priory

A small community of Augustinian canons established the priory around 1238. Their founder and patron was Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith and part of what was one of the most powerful family in Scotland at the time. His main residence was on Inch Talla, a nearby island.

Named ‘Inchmaquhomok’, the priory was built on the low-lying eastern half of the island. The Earl kept the west half for himself, to make up for the lack of a garden on Inch Talla!

The canons built their church first. Its impressive processional doorway is very similar to the one at Dunblane Cathedral – masons may have been brought from there to work on Inchmahome.

Monastic life ended soon after the Reformation in 1560. The chapter house became a mausoleum for the earls of Menteith and stone was taken from the other buildings to be used on Inch Talla.

Inchmahome began a new life as a tourist attraction in the 1800s, thanks largely to the writings of Sir Walter Scott and the arrival of the railway. The influx of English visitors even inspired a name change – the Loch of Inchmahome became the Lake of Menteith.

In September 1547, English forces defeated a vast Scottish army at the disastrous Battle of Pinkie (near Edinburgh). It was the last great conflict in the War of the Rough Wooing. This was an attempt to coerce Scotland to fulfil its agreement under the Treaty of Greenwich that Mary Queen of Scots would marry Edward VI of England.

The young Mary was brought from Stirling to Inchmahome for safety, with her mother Mary of Guise. She stayed for just three weeks, but there are many stories about Mary’s visit. Her name is still attached to the little boxwood bower in the centre of the island.

The chapter house was turned into a mausoleum in the 1600s. It now houses a fine collection of carved stones. This includes a unique effigy, arguably the most romantic item in our collections.

Walter Stewart, Earl of Menteith, and his wife, Countess Mary, married in 1258. Because Mary’s right to the Earldom of Mentieth far outweighed Walter’s own hereditary titles, he took his wife’s name, as did their children.

We don’t know exactly how long Walter and Mary were married for, but we can estimate that it was at least 35 years. We know that Mary died first, probably in 1293 or 1294, and Walter passed away soon afterwards.

The charming double effigy shows the couple in a last embrace. Walter is lying on his side and turning to his beloved wife. Each has an arm under the head of the other, which is believed to evoke a Gaelic prayer.

Another notable burial at Inchmahome is that of Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, a campaigner for social justice and internationally famous man of adventure.

Sometimes known as "Don Roberto", he travelled to South America at the age of 17 and took up work as a gaucho, a nomadic horseman employed to herd cattle. His time abroad influenced his later career in writing and politics.

Despite his far flung adventures, Robert maintained his ancestral links to Inchmahome. His first book, published in 1895, was called Notes on the District of Menteith.

Robert died in Buenos Aires in 1936. His body was returned to Scotland for burial in the ruins of the priory alongside his wife and ancestors. His grave and one of our commemorative plaques can be seen by visitors today.

Read more about "Don Roberto"