[1] The friars were charged with the duty of saving captives from slavery and as such, were called Fratres de Redemptione Captivorum or "The Fathers of Redemption".

[6] In Scotland the order had friaries at Aberdeen;[8] Berwick;[9] Dirleton;[10] Dunbar;[11] Houston (East Lothian);[12] Peebles;[13] and Scotlandswell.

[15] William Aiton records that the monastery was established by John de Graham, Lord of Tarbolton in 1252,[16] however Love regards Andrew Bruce[2] as being the founder.

Robert was married and also held the lands of Montgreenan whilst continuing to use the title of 'Minister' and to act as the provincial of the Trinitarian Order in Scotland.

[1] The parish churches of Barnweill, Symington, and Galston in old Kyle, Torthorwald in old Dumfriesshire, and Inverchoalan in old Argylshire, belonged to the Monastery of Fail.

The cure was served by a vicar pensioner who had a settled income and a glebe, and the minister and brothers of Faile enjoyed the remainder of the tithes and revenues.

[28] The Wallace family of nearby Craigie carried out repairs the Ministers dwelling, converting it into more of a defensive structure, known locally as the 'Fail Castle' and marked as such on some of the contemporary maps.

[28] Blaeu's map of 1654 shows a fairly extensive wooded area around Feil Abbey (sic) with a pale around three sides and the final boundary as the Water of Fail.

[39] The remains of Fail Monastery were removed and used as foundations for buildings and the runway at Prestwick Airport[40] in 1952; some of the rubble was however collected and used to form a grotto on the north side of Annbank's Roman Catholic church.

This building was probably the 16th-century tower or "manor-house", originally the "domus" of the head of the monastery and later the home of the commendator or Laird of Fail.

This was broken in two and bore what may be the royal arms of Scotland and it has been suggested that this was the tomb of Walter Stewart, second son of Robert II and Elizabeth Mure of Rowallan.

[42] A 17th century tombstone bore the coat of arms in an armorial panel[43] of John Cunningham quartered with those of Barbara Hunter who married circa 1660.

[49] Paterson records a ballad of this title by the local historian, Joseph Train, published in 1814, in which Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie is out hunting with the Laird of Fail and the pair come across a house in which the wife is brewing ale.

The Laird responds by taking a 'pin' and reciting a charm he placed it above the doorway, resulting in a spell that forced the wife to dance and sing uncontrollably.

[50] The workers return from the fields and they too are in turn bewitched as they pass under the "pin", until the Laird removes it and is invited to drink by the relieved householders.

[51] One story relates that the laird one day looked out of the upper south window of the castle and saw twenty sets of ploughs at work.

It is said that afterwards it was noted that the two ploughs that did not stop had a twig of Rowan or Mountain Ash tree attached, known for protection against the evil eye.

The laird's betting partner asked why he had acted this way and the man replied that he had seen the head of a large black dog growling out of each of the dishes ready to devour him.

The 'warlock' laird probably died near the close of the 17th century, and on his deathbed he is said to have warned those around present not to stay in the castle after his body was carried out; and he also told them not to bury him until after the harvest was in, because on the day he was laid to rest a disastrous storm would cause widespread damage.

[52] One version of the story of Maggie Osborne, the supposed Ayr witch, was that Margaret was a daughter of the Laird of Fail who had instructed her in the dark arts.

[63] George Henry Hutton (d. 1827), a soldier and amateur antiquary, visited Fail in October 1800 and produced three drawings of the ruins.

[64] The name of the nearby Spittalside or Spittleside Farm[32] strongly suggests a connection with a monastic hospital as the friars were obliged to take and help the sick and weary.

Melrose Abbey had lands at Mauchline and a Monk's road ran there via Redwrae, Long Wood, Mossbog, Ladyyard and Skeoch.

[42] Ladeside near Crosshands may have been a place of great age for workmen discovered an old coal pit shaft with stone built walls.