Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 95
Parish of Saddell & Skipness -- Argyllshire

"The abbey of Saddell, a monastery of the Cistercian Order,
was begun by Somerled, Lord of Kintyre and the isles (who died in 1163)
and finished by his son Reginald. It was built in the form of a Cross
The length from E [East] to W. [West] is about 136 feet by 24 over walls, and the transept
from N [North] to S [South] about 78 feet by 24. The S. [South] End of the transept was extended
58 feet more, and made the side of a square, which served for Cloisters. There
is very little of the Church or Cloisters now standing" Old Stat. [Statistical] Account.

"Before the middle of the 13th Century the abbey of Sagadull, afterwards
termed Sandale and Saddell, was founded for Monks of the Cistercian order
by Reginald the son of Sorlet (Somerled), who styled himself King of the
Isles and Lord of Ergile and Kyntire. He granted to the monks the lands of
Glensagadull & the 12 Marks of Baltebeam in the lordship of Kyntire & the
20 Merklands of Ceskew in the isle of Arane. The Abbey it is said became a
house of no common repute for sanctity. It is said also, that about the year 1257
Thomas Sandalius (apparently so named from his connection with the Abbey)
became a monk of Saddell, that he was afterwards abbot, that he was famed for
his austerity, that he left many works which were preserved in the library of
St. Andrews. It has been suggested that Saddell is to be identified with the
'Cloister of grey monks' who made their peace with Haes King of Norway
in his descent upon Scotland in 1263 and gave Symon, apparently one of his
chaplains, who died at Guday (the isle of Gigha) sepulture within their Church
in Kintyre. The remains of the Monastery stand on the banks of a small
stream at the entrance to the valley of Glensaddell on the east coast of
Kintyre. The abbey church which was in the shape of a cross, was 136 feet
long
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