Lady Devorgilla

"A bettyr ladye than she was nane, in all the yle of Mare Bretane"

Yes, Devorgilla was indeed a famous lady. Daughter of Alan, the last Lord of Galloway, she was born in Buittle Castle, near Dalbeattie. There was Scottish royal blood in her veins as her maternal grandfather was brother of King William the Lion of Scotland who had granted Dumfries Royal Burgh status in 1186.

In 1233 Devorgilla married John Balliol of Barnard Castle and they figured amongst the most opulent landowners in Europe with extensive lands in Scotland, England and France.

The royal link continued with their son John and grandson Edward becoming Scottish kings, though in difficult and turbulent times.

Predictably, Devorgilla was extremely wealthy and equally generous, financing the first bridge over the Nith in Dumfries around 1280, the predecessor of our old bridge (1431) which still stands, though in rather truncated form. This latter bridge is our club's adopted symbol.

Devorgilla Bridge, Dumfries

With her husband John she established Balliol College, Oxford and after John's death in 1269 this godly lady founded a number of religious houses, amongst them a monastery for the Greyfriars at the head of Friars Vennel in Dumfries. The most significant by far however, was the Sweetheart Abbey - "dulci cor" - in the village of New Abbey, built in her husband's memory for a community of Cistercians often called the White Monks. This order had a particular interest in agriculture.

Sweetheart Abbey

When her husband died, Devorgilla had his heart sealed in an ivory casket which was her "constant companion". At meal times an extra serving of food would be provided near the casket and then given to a poor person.

In 1290 at the age of 80, Devorgilla breathed her last at Kempstone on one of her great estates in Huntingdon and her body was taken to her beloved Sweetheart Abbey for burial near the high alter. Laid on her breast was the ivory casket, thus the abbey's name.

Her name is a latinised form of a Gaelic name probably meaning "Daughter of the Oath" and the said Devorgilla could speak fluent Gaelic, English, French and Latin.

Words kindly supplied by Mr Wilson Ogilvie

Photographs kindly supplied by Dr Awni Lutfy