Arbroath Abbey

About this place

Red sandstone abbey ruin where the Declaration of Arbroath was sealed in 1320.

Founded in 1178 by King William the Lion, who is buried within its grounds, Arbroath Abbey's greatest claim to fame came over a century later, in 1320, when it was the setting for the sealing of the Declaration of Arbroath - a letter to the Pope asserting Scottish independence that later influenced other declarations of independence, including America's. The red sandstone ruins that survive today still convey the abbey's original scale, and an on-site visitor centre helps explain the history behind them for children less familiar with medieval politics. There's an admission charge, and the uneven ground within the ruins makes it awkward for buggies.

Make a day of it — within 5km