Scottish Blog

Soutra Aisles is the remains in Scotland of what used to at one point be a hospital and friary.

Today, Soutra Aisles stands near the A86 highway, roughly 3 kilometers from the town of Fala and just North West of the wind farm in Dun Law. It still holds similarities to its past but in an obvious state of ruin. In its original form Soutra Aisle consisted of an above and below ground hospital and friary. It was enclosed by a wall, with an area measuring 700 square meters. It is believed that the hospital was founded around 1160 by Augustine monks. It was originally called the House of the Holy Trinity.

The building of Soutra Aisle was requested by King Malcolm IV and built during the reign of King David I. At the time it was it was believed to be the largest hospital in Scotland and it maintained a position as one of the top three most important hospitals in the country for a time afterwards.

Soutra Aisle was intended as a hospital primarily for the poor, as opposed to the rich. It was also a frequent stop for pilgrims to holy sites. Its position close to the Scottish-English border led it to be an important rest stop for civilians and wounded.

The decline of Soutra Aisle came in 1460 when the Master of the Hospital came into disrepute. The crown confiscated much of the estates of the Hospital. Before this point Soutra Aisle had earned its money from rich patrons, donations from the crown and richer churches. After the scandal, Soutra Aisles lost all its sources of income and fell into poverty. No longer was Soutra Aisle of any major importance in a large scale, although it did still operate locally.