Building record MAB27560 - ABBOTSHALL

Remains of hall or house erected in the 16th century by Abbot T Chrystall.

Remains of hall or house erected in the 16th century by Abbot T Chrystall. It belonged to the Cistercian order at Kinloss Abbey. on the flattish summit of a tree-grown promontory bounded on the east and south sides by steep rocky slopes, the easiest means of approach being from the northeast. On the east side of the summit, a stretch of outer wall face, 2.0 m long, can be seen just protruding through the turf. Elsewhere, loose stones and amorphous turf-covered banks testify to the former existence of an early building, but its shape cannot be ascertained. There is no trace of a round tower. Without excavation it cannot be determined whether this is a 16th century building. The walled garden, 15.0 m to the northeast is probably later, though the tradition remains that this is the Abbot's Garden. There is no trace and no local knowledge of Abbot's Well. Site visit in 2001 recorded that the summit has a number of depressions which may be structures. Only one stone protruded from the grass on the east side of a circular depression, circa 5 m wide in the northwest corner of the site. To the north of the promontory the small garden area enclosed by a dry stone wall remains, measuring circa 15 m by 45 m. Documentary research suggests that the Abbotshall depicted on the Pont map of Buchan (circa 1590-1600) my in fact be what was later known as Castle of Waterton (NJ93SE0007) based on the location on the map and the similarity of the building as depicted on the map and an illustration of the Castle of Waterton in a 19th century memoranda of the Forbes family of Waterton.

Period Notes
Said to be erected 1532.

PRATT, JB, 1901, BUCHAN, 283, PLAN (Bibliographic reference). SAB1411.

GODSMAN, J, 1952, HISTORY OF THE BURGH & PARISH OF ELLON, ABERDEENSHIRE, 52,64,148,161 (Bibliographic reference). SAB591.

MORRIS, 1982, SCOTTISH HEALING WELLS, 35 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1157.

SUAT, 2002, A GAZETTEER OF MONASTIC GRANGES IN SCOTLAND (Bibliographic reference). SAB1735.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2022 10:05AM