Document record MAB51013 - BLACKFRIARS MONASTERY, ELGIN
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Summary
Supposed site of monastery, dedicated to St James.
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 2111 6295 (242m by 171m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ26SW |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | Elgin |
Type and Period (5)
Full Description
Supposed site of monastery, dedicated to St James. Said to have been established by Alexander II in 1233/34, and terminated before 1570. Its exact site is not known, but it is said to have lain to the north of castle. It appears to have been a substantial property, with 17th century references describing 'a manor place, houses, biggings, yards, orchards, etc.'. The buildings and burial ground are said to have been levelled in the 18th century, with the ground being made over for arable use, although a later report, from 1838, has a local resident recollecting having seen the ruins of the friary buildings at the west end of the Borough Briggs, south of a stank (pond) formed by flooding of the River Lossie. On both the 1st and 2nd edition OS, this site is labelled as 'Supposed site of Blackfriars Monastery'. There are no visible remains. At circa NJ 212 629, excavations in 1971 uncovered 50 skeletons circa 0.4 m below the modern ground level. The skeletons lay at random and there was reportedly no sign of any coffin nails. It was later suggested that this may be the remains of a cemetery of plague victims dating to the 17th century, rather than having a direct connection to the Blackfriars monastery.
Period Notes
Founded by Alexander II in 1233-34.
POCOCKE, R, 1887, TOURS IN SCOTLAND, 190 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1409.
MACKINTOSH, HB, 1914, ELGIN PAST & PRESENT, 132 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1144.
EASSON, D, 1957, MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES: SCOTLAND, 99 (Bibliographic reference). SAB440.
KEILLAR, I, 1971, ELGIN IN DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND 1971, p. 30 (Bibliographic reference). SAB970.
SUAT, 1994, ELGIN BURGH SURVEY: ARCHAEOLOGICAL UPDATE, 4-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4738.
HALL, DW, 1998, THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF ELGIN: EXCAVATIONS ON LADYHILL AND IN THE HIGH STREET, & OVERVIEW OF THE BURGH . IN PSAS 128, 753-829, pp.816-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5867.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- NMR Card Number: NJ26SW6;
- NRHE Numlink: 16673;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ26SW0006;
External Links (1)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/16673 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (6)
- --- SAB1144 Bibliographic reference: MACKINTOSH, HB. 1914. ELGIN PAST & PRESENT. Y. 132.
- --- SAB1409 Bibliographic reference: POCOCKE, R. 1887. TOURS IN SCOTLAND. 190.
- --- SAB440 Bibliographic reference: EASSON, D. 1957. MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES: SCOTLAND. 99.
- --- SAB4738 Bibliographic reference: SUAT. 1994. ELGIN BURGH SURVEY: ARCHAEOLOGICAL UPDATE. 4-5.
- --- SAB5867 Bibliographic reference: HALL, DW. 1998. THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF ELGIN: EXCAVATIONS ON LADYHILL AND IN THE HIGH STREET, & OVERVIEW OF THE BURGH . IN PSAS 128, 753-829. Y. pp.816-7.
- --- SAB970 Bibliographic reference: KEILLAR, I. 1971. ELGIN IN DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND 1971. p. 30.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Record last edited
Sep 5 2022 12:00PM
