Extracts from thank you letters to our guide...

Dear Mr Ballantine,

I am writing a thank you letter to you after the lovely trip I had when I came to Dunfermline Abbey...I was amazed that you could remember all the interesting facts you told us.  I liked how you could answer the pupils’ questions without hesitation and how you could tell us detailed stories without any notes.  I am especially pleased about the way you answered my question about the pillars.

I enjoyed my time at Dunfermline Abbey and I learned about queens being buried in walls, about Robert the Bruce being buried beneath the pulpit and how there used to be two churches beneath the present Abbey!

Thomas Donald

Dear Mr Ballantine,

Thank you so much for telling us about the Abbey...The things I liked and enjoyed most were hearing about Malcolm’s Tower and looking down at the Early Church.  I have learnt so much more about the Abbey and St. Margaret.  You’ve been a real inspiration for my project.  When I previously passed the Abbey I never thought much of it but now that I have been shown around properly, I will always smile at it.  I am very impressed that you knew and remembered all about it.

Megan Montgomery.

Dear Mr. Ballantine,

I was one of the Dollar Academy students who visited Dunfermline Abbey with my class. I enjoyed the visit ... I was particularly interested in Saint Margaret’s Shrine, especially when you told us about the fossilised fish in the rock.  I showed them to my sister and Mum when we returned to the Abbey last Saturday.  I was also interested to hear how the original church built for Saint Margaret was demolished by her son and a larger church was built on top.

When my Mother, sister and I returned to the Abbey, I was able to tell them where to find Saint Margaret’s Shrine and Malcolm’s Tower and I passed on the information you told us....

Ewan Scougall

Dear Mr Ballantine,

...it was great that you shared your knowledge with us.  I felt very inspired and know that I can use some of that information in my project...I found it interesting to hear about how oyster shells had been put in between the large stones used to build the abbey to make room for cement.  I was also interested in the stained glass windows and how every window had some resemblance to someone or something...and that they moved the bodies of twenty three kings and queens...I also really liked the fact that the top of Malcolm’s Tower stuck out so that enemies couldn’t put ladders up!

Jack Geddes

Junior School
The Support for Learning Department