Ayrshire > Volume 1

IN THE DAYS OF THE MONASTERIES 33
standing to-day amid their somewhat prosaic
surroundings, enkindle regrets for the vandalism that
suffered this ancient fane to be destroyed in all its
beauty and all its hallowed, clustering associations,
and for the decadence in church architecture of the
centuries on which our lot to live has fallen. Hugh de
Morville endowed in no niggardly fashion, he conceived
in no mean or narrow spirit. On the banks of the
Garnock the monastery grew under the patient hands of
the builders, strong and beautiful ; and as one looks
to-day upon all that is left of it, he can imagine right
easily how it must have gladdened the eye of the traveller
coming across the sands and the waving knowes from
the south, with the western sun upon its towers and
its architectural graces. This was a house built to
God, not for the years, but for the centuries ; and
it might have been intact and serviceable as ever
even now, had it not fallen upon days that were evil
for its destruction.
St. Winnan, to whom the abbey was dedicated,
was, as has been said, an Irishman ; he was of the
eighth century, and his festival was held on the 21st of
January. Tradition ascribes to him the power over
disease and over the elements. In the parish of
Holywood a fountain sprang up at his intercession, and
remained in high repute till the beginning of the sixteenth
century. In Kilwinning there is a well called after him,
whose waters also had healing virtues. And he could ban
the waters as well as bless them ; for, when one of his
angling friends fished the Garnock without any
encouragement in the shape of a decent " rise," he
pronounced so practical a malediction that the river
forthwith " left its bed and followed another course
adverse to nature." To this holy man de Morville
founded the abbey " solid and great, all of freestone
cut ; the church fair and stately after the model of that
of Glasgow, with a fair steeple of seven score foot of
height, set standing where I myself (i.e., Timothy Pont)
did see it." Its revenues were much enhanced by grants