Scheduled MonumentsScotlandPluscarden Priory,precinct walls
Precinct walls

Pluscarden Priory,precinct walls

Scotland
HES SM2144
Site type
Precinct walls
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Pluscarden Priory is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1230 by Alexander II of Scotland in Morayshire, whose precinct walls represent the medieval boundary of the religious community. The walls, constructed of rubble stone, enclose the principal monastic buildings and define the sacred and administrative space of the priory, typical of thirteenth-century monastic planning in Scotland. The precinct has been substantially altered and rebuilt over subsequent centuries, particularly following the priory's refoundation in the fifteenth century and its restoration in the twentieth century, making the extant walls a palimpsest of medieval and later construction. The surviving sections of the precinct walls remain integral to understanding the spatial organisation and physical extent of one of Scotland's longest-continuously-inhabited monastic houses.

Pluscarden Priory,precinct walls is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2144. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Pluscarden Priory,precinct walls?

Pluscarden Priory is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1230 by Alexander II of Scotland in Morayshire, whose precinct walls represent the medieval boundary of the religious community. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2144.

Who is responsible for protecting Pluscarden Priory,precinct walls?

Pluscarden Priory,precinct walls is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2144.

What other scheduled monuments are near Pluscarden Priory,precinct walls?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Asliesk Castle (4 km), Upper Manbeen,Butter Well (4.2 km), Upper Manbeen, symbol stone (4.4 km).

Aubrey Research

Generate a full report for this location

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.

Research the area around Pluscarden Priory,precinct walls