The Benedictine monastic Order of Cluny was founded in the Burgundian town of Cluny in either 909 or 910 by Abbot Bernon from Gigny in the Jura region of France. At the peak of the Order’s powers there were nearly 1,400 priories across Europe from Poland to Portugal and from Scotland to Italy.

The Order suffered greatly during the French civil wars in the 16th century and it was finally abolshed at the French Revolution when most of the great Abbey of Cluny was dismantled and sold off.  Today only about 10% of the abbey remains standing.

The modern organisation, La Fédération des Sites Clunisiens, seeks to unite Cluniac sites and communities across Europe in a modern spirit of shared cultural values particularly in the fields of education and tourism.

Scottish members of the Federation are Historic Scotland (which manages Crossraguel Abbey), Maybole Historical Society (which covers North Carrick, the region where Crossraguel stands) and Paisley Abbey, a vibrant Church of Scotland community.

The Cluny 2010 Scotland joint Organising Committee is composed of volunteers from these bodies plus others including Renfrewshire Council. The programme of celebrations is intended as just the start of sustainable cultural links with the pan-European Cluny network.

More information here: www.sitesclunisiens.org

To View an interactive 360 degree panorama from the Crossraguel Abbey gatehouse please click on the image below, Quicktime will load, then Hold down the left mouse button to navigate. © Bill Ward