Coldingham Sands

Late this morning we headed over to the beautiful conservation village of Coldingham for their Gala and Country Fayre.

Within the village is Coldingham Priory which housed Benedictine monks. The Priory was founded in the reign of David I of Scotland, although his older brother and predecessor King Edgar of Scotland had granted the land of Coldingham to the Church of Durham in 1098, and a church was constructed by him and presented in 1100. The first prior of Coldingham is on record by the year 1147, although it is likely that the foundation was much earlier. The earlier Columban Abbey was founded by St. Æbbe sometime c. 640 AD. Although the monastery was largely destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in 1648, some remains of the priory exist, the choir of which forms the present parish church of Coldingham and is serviced by the Church of Scotland.

After lunch we made our way down to Coldingham Sands, which is at the mouth of the Buskin Burn, on the coast of the Scottish Borders. As it was such a fabulous day the beach was really busy. I spent the afternoon wading in the water by these beautiful rocks.