St Margaret had Paisley in her heart
There are few more sacred sites than St Margaret’s Cave in Dunfermline – the ancient capital of Scotland.
Today, the only access to the glimmering grotto is through a small museum, then down a steep flight of 84 stone steps beneath a car park in the historic Fife town.
Monastic music, including the time-honoured Gregorian chant, guides you to the underground hallowed haunt, enshrining the evangelic effigy of one of Scotland’s most pious women.
Kneeling devoutly at prayer, the holy heroine kisses and caresses her wooden crucifix at the stonecanopied sanctuary where she communed with God 1000 years ago.
Exquisitely surrounded by fragrant flowers, the beautiful blue-andwhite robed subterranean statue, illuminating the sombre shadows, reminds you how the vivid visions of St Margaret shaped Paisley’s sacred story.
Married to Malcolm Canmore, King of Scots, Margaret mothered six sons, including the monarch, David I, who ruled from 1124 till 1153.
Following his coronation, David went to England to fight for his Derek Parker knew many of Paisley’s secrets – the grimy and the good.
He wandered every corner in search of the clues that would unlock Renfrewshire’s rich history.
These tales were shared with readers in his hugely popular Parker’s Way column.
We’ve opened our vault to handpick our favourites for you.
This article was first printed on July 14, 2003.
niece, the Empress Maud, in her unsuccessful attempt to wrestle the English crown from King Stephen.
When he returned home, David rewarded the Anglo-Norman barons who fought for the Empress by gifting them extensive estates in Scotland.
Among these wealthy warlords was Walter Fitzalan, from Shropshire, who received vast acres of land around Paisley and built himself a palatial castle at King’s Inch at Renfrew.
Although a military man, David inherited so much of his mother’s piety.
He granted land and money for magnificent abbeys and cathedrals and encouraged his knights and
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barons to build them too.
Scotland’s most illustrious abbeys like Dryburgh, Kelso, Jedburgh and Melrose date from King David’s reign.
Nearer home, his prodigy, Walter Fitzalan, recruited Shropshire monks to fulfil the monarch’s wishes and erect the Paisley Priory, the predecessor of Paisley Abbey.
Although King David did not live to witness the completion of Paisley Abbey, his was the royal inspiration behind its construction.
His mother, Margaret, Queen of Scotland, died in 1093, aged 47, and was canonised in 1251.
She was commemorated in Paisley by St Margaret’s Convent School in Renfrew Road and St Margaret’s House overlooking Brodie Park.
St Margaret’s Church in Johnstone is also named after her.
But her finest memorial in the town is our ancient abbey which testifies to the faith St Margaret professed so resolutely in the little cave which bears her name in medieval Dunfermline.