Building record MAB4798 - PLUSCARDEN ABBEY

Restored priory / abbey, founded originally in 1230 or 1231 by King Alexander II as a Vallisculian Priory, one of only three in Scotland or England, and dedicated to St Mary and St John (the patrons of the order) and to St Andrew.

Restored priory / abbey, founded originally in 1230 or 1231 by King Alexander II as a Vallisculian Priory, one of only three in Scotland or England, and dedicated to St Mary and St John (the patrons of the order) and to St Andrew. By 1454, it had declined to only 6 monks, and was nearly closed for their 'lax and unruly behaviour'. Instead, it was merged with nearby Urquhart Priory (NJ26SE0005) and became a Benedictine house. It has been suggested that the nave of the church may never have been built, and what was built was burnt by Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch, in 1390, with subsequent rebuilding in the 15th century. It suffered slightly during the Reformation, and was then left to ruin. In 1594, it was sold to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, in 1662 it was then sold to the Brodies of Lethen. By 1710, it was part of the Pluscarden property of Duff of Dipple, who became earl of Fife. It was purchased in 1897 by a Catholic antiquarian, John, Third Marquis of Bute, who proceeded to repair parts of the building. At this time, the congregation who were using part of the Abbey were given land by the 3rd Marquis of Bute to build a new parish church (NJ15NW0016). In 1943 the Benedictines of Prinknash were gifted the Priory by the Bute family, and in 1948 five monks began restoration, to the plans of the Scottish architect and historian Ian G Lindsay. It was raised to the status of an abbey in 1974. The building is constructed of squared rubble and ashlar. Restored survivals include the Choir with curious side chapels, the crossing, transepts, and the East range of the cloister containing the slype, Chapter House and Calefarium, divided into a new refectory and kitchen. Around the chancel arch, repaired after the damage traditionally ascribed to the Wolf of Badenoch in 1390, are some unusual fragments of 15th century frescoes including a seated St John on the North side. The North Transept is the most visible survival of the 13th century work. It has lancet windows with large rose window in each gable and a clerestory passage in the North wall thickness. There is glass work in the lancets and a roundel by artist Sadie McLellan of Glasgow in 1964. Two chapels originally opened from the North wall. The arches are now filled, and chapels with 13th century detail and a stone vaulted roof now form the transepts to the chancel. At the Crossing, the remains of massive shafted columns are now mainly encased in later masonry, possibly applied after the fire, support a solid squat tower with blind cusped panels below the parapet. The original rood screen has gone, but traces of the small stair survive. Across the chancel arch is a gallery with the arms of the eight secular families who owned the Abbey between 1560 and 1943. The South Transept is probably 14th century, with elaborate and progressive detailing to the clerestory and passage, the latter spanning the 3-light windows and with subsidiary pointed arches flanking the shafts on the intervening wall space. Two original vaulted side chapels are more elaborate, but are reoriented as at the North. The night stair leads from the South Transept. There is a stepped, 5-light window in south gable head. In the Chancel, there are some traces of Romanesque detail, but this old fashioned style is superseded, possibly after the fire, by a daring arrangement of windows. The mouldings of the reveals show the vast planned size of the windows, and are now filled with later masonry and smaller intersecting traceried windows on south wall, this is possibly done for stability. The East window is now 4 lancets with a large, 3-light traceried window above, a vesica and an apex opening. There is a finely carved sacrament house and 3 sedilia. A modern timber panelled ceiling has been used. Considerable remains of 15th century wall painting can be found around the chancel arch, the chancel transepts and the Lady Chapel. The Lady Chapel itself is to the South of South Transept. A squint opens from the Chancel transept, and there is a groin vaulted roof. The Dunbar Sacristy is possibly a later 16th century addition at the North-East, with a vaulted roof and a monastic range to the East side of original cloister. It is 2 storeys, and now with attic rooms. There are remains of the cloister garth and Prior's House to the South-West of the Abbey Church. New single storey buildings including a library, stores and guest rooms have been erected around the cloister site. The bounds of the Priory were marked by wooden crosses, one survives in the grounds of Relugas house (NJ04NW0114). The precinct wall has been designated a Scheduled Monument (NJ15NW0020). An oak pulpit from the old Parish church in Elgin, that is now St Giles church (NJ26SW0015), was here for a time, before being gifted to St Columba's church in Elgin (NJ26SW0068). An excavation was carried out in 1990 by AOC in anticipation of the building of a residential building on the presumed site of the West claustral range of the monastery. Features investigated included the Western end of the nave, a series of burials, a stone lined pit containing a rich organic deposit, and walls associated with the medieval monastic complex. In total, four burials were noted, three of which were excavated. All were women, ranging in age between about 17 and 45 years, however the bones were in a poor condition and did not provide any evidence for the cause of death. Radiocarbon dating has suggested a 15th Century date for the burials. A watching brief was carried out in October 2014 by Highland Archaeology Services prior to an extension to the south-west of the Abbey. Finds and features recorded were mostly modern, including 20th century stained glass that may be from a workshop set up to re-glaze the Priory when it was re-founded. A pulled red wear ceramic handle with a distinctive green glaze was recovered from the topsoil, which is probably late medieval or early post-medieval. An undated piece of architectural carved stone was also recovered. A feature in the form of sandstone slabs that was the base of a line of railings that had until recently been in use was also recorded. A flat stone bearing a calvary cross (cross on a stepped base) with simplistic tree of life motif flanking the cross shaft, said to have come from Urquhart Priory (NJ26SE0005) which had been mounted inside St Margaret's Hall, Urquhart (NJ26SE0100) but was moved to Pluscarden Abbey in 2024.

Period Notes
Founded in 1230 or 1231. The nave partially built and burned by Wolf of Badenoch in 1390. By 1454 it was in decline with only 6 monks. The Porter's Lodge dates to 1820-1. Repairs or works were carried out sometime before c.1854. Excavation, consolidation and partial restoration took place in 1898-1900, with further work before 1960. The Bute family gifted the abbey to the Benedictines of Prinknash in 1948, and restoration took place in 1967-1996. It has changed various times since 1594. Calibrated Date(s): 1300 to 1490 AD (GU-2983); 1400 to 1630 AD (AA-8792). It was designated on 26/01/1971.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 01/09/83 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 08/01/85 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 21/08/46 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 28/07/1989 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 31/03/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

MITCHELL, A, 1872, PSAS 9(1870-72) 568-87, 580 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1182.

MACPHAIL, SR, 1881, HIST OF RELIG HOUSE,PLUSCARDYN (Bibliographic reference). SAB1184.

BLACK, T, 1881, T INVER S S & F C, 135 (Bibliographic reference). SAB115.

MACPHERSON, A, 1891, PSAS 26(1890-1) 89-117, 113-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1183.

MACGIBBON, T, 1896, ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND 1, 146-60 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1141.

MACDONALD, WR, 1900, PSAS 34(1899-90) 344-429, 409-19 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1181.

THOMSON, A, 1911, PSAS 45(1910-11) 302-8, 304 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1933.

EASSON, D, 1957, MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES: SCOTLAND, 55,72 (Bibliographic reference). SAB440.

ANSON, PF, 1959, MONASTERY IN MORAY, 168-70,176 (Bibliographic reference). SAB16.

DOE, 1966, A M's SCOT, 31 (Bibliographic reference). SAB353.

WALKER, IC, 1966, PSAS 98(1964-6) 76-125, 76-125 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2000.

McCORMICK, F, 1990, DES : PLUSCARDEN PRIORY, 21 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2860.

EXCAVATION

MCCORMICK, F, 1994, EXCAVATIONS AT PLUSCARDEN PRIORY, MORAY, PSAS 124 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4720.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 119-120 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

HIGHLAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2014, PLUSCARDEN ABBEY: DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT AND CONTROLLED TOPSOIL STRIP, WB DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB5815.

Apr 3 2024 , AAS-GR-24-03-020 - 029, AAS-GR-24-03-020 - 029 (Ground Photograph). SAB37073.

Aug 16 1978 , AAS/78/05/S6/12, AAS/78/05/S6/12 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30136.

Aug 17 1984 , BZ 21-37, BZ 21-37 (Ground Photograph). SAB30139.

Aug 17 1984 , CM 7-9a, CM 7-9a (Ground Photograph). SAB30140.

Feb 28 2014 , AAS-GR-14-02-176 - 189, AAS-GR-14-02-176 - 189 (Ground Photograph). SAB30859.

Jan 1 1990 , AAS/GR/90/CT385-389, AAS/GR/90/CT385-389 (Ground Photograph). SAB32819.

Jan 1 1996 , NO 9, NO 9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB33458.

Jul 11 1989 , JA 25-31, JA 25-31 (Ground Photograph). SAB33696.

Jul 12 1992 , LB 27-28, LB 27-28 (Ground Photograph). SAB33872.

Jul 17 1959 , AAH 37, AAH 37 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30137.

Jul 26 1967 , ATI 86, ATI 86 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30138.

Jul 29 2014 , AAS-GR-14-07-038 - 049, AAS-GR-14-07-038 - 049 (Ground Photograph). SAB30860.

Jun 3 1997 , AAS/97/06/CT9-10,14,16, AAS/97/06/CT9-10,14,16 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31323.

Jun 3 1997 , AAS/97/06/G10/7-11, AAS/97/06/G10/7-11 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31299.

Jun 25 1996 , AAS/96/04/CT19-20, AAS/96/04/CT19-20 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31232.

Jun 28 1996 , AAS/GR/96/CT96-98, AAS/GR/96/CT96-98 (Ground Photograph). SAB32997.

Jun 28 1996 , NS 4-10, NS 4-10 (Ground Photograph). SAB33469.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 03/09/83 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 21/03/81 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 27/02/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Oct 1 2010 , GR 2890-2917, GR 2890-2917 (Ground Photograph). SAB30769.

Oct 10 1989 , JN 14-17, JN 14-17 (Ground Photograph). SAB33744.

Oct 17 2013 , AAS-GR-13-10-304 - 420, AAS-GR-13-10-304 - 420 (Ground Photograph). SAB35326.

Sep 20 1984 , DE 33-37, DE 33-37 (Ground Photograph). SAB30135.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2025 9:59AM