Luffness Friary

Luffness Friary is located half a mile northeast of Aberlady in East Lothian. It sits south of the A198 on Bickerton’s Walk. The church of the friary is in ruins, but the foundation remains. The church measures about 31 m. (101 ft.) by 8 m. (26 ft.). and is laid out in the customary east-west orientation, comprising a nave to the west and choir to the east. There are no aisles. The walls of the ruins are about 0.7 m. (2 ft.) in both width and height, though on the east end and north side, the wall is about 1.7 m. (5.5 ft.) high. Also indicated are buttresses at the east and west ends of the church, and there appears to have been a wall separating the nave and choir. In the northeast corner…

The position of the tomb in the choir is that generally associated with the founder of the establishment, who, in the case of Luffness, remains obscure. Therefore, in trying to determine the identity of the founder, one must also consider the names suggested for those whose effigy can be seen in the arched recess at Luffness. A list of those suggested as founder and/or knight includes the following: DAVID DE LINDSAY: According to legend, the friary was founded by Sir David de Lindsay, grandson of William de Lindsay, the first person to be called “of Luffness.” The narrative is based on the idea that Sir David died in 1249 while on Crusade in Egypt. It is said that, after receiving his fatal…