The Henson Journals

[18]

Saturday, August 5th, 1922.

We left the house about 11 a.m. Both the cars were used for the party. At first there was some rain, but the weather cleared at midday, & the afternoon was brilliant. We motored by way of Dumfries and Dalbeattie to the ruins of the Cistercian monastery of Dundrennan, situated about 6 1/2 miles from Kirkcudbright and within 2 miles of the Solway Firth. After picnicking pleasantly on a very generous lunch we made a careful inspection of the ruins. William took a number of photographs. We motored back to Murraythwaite by a longer route which enabled us to visit the ruins of Sweet Heart Abbey, where Dervorguilla de Balliol, the foundress of Balliol College, is said to be buried. Here we had tea, & then continued our homeward journey, arriving about 7 p.m. To have visited on 3 successive days such monuments as the Roman Wall, the Cross at Ruthwell, & the Abbies of Dundrennan and Sweet Heart is a considerable achievement for holiday–makers!

Mr Knowles told me that much bitter feeling was aroused in Scotland by the ungenerous treatment which the English clergy meted out to the considerable number of Scottish farmers who some years ago migrated to Essex. They were treated by the local incumbents as dissenters, and no doubt soon proved themselves to be such a practice. Yet they were not naturally disposed to Dissent, & might easily have been drawn to the Church of England, if they had been regarded with more sympathy & intelligent understanding.

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