Urquhart Priory was a

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monastic community in

Moray Moray () gd, Moireibh or ') is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland (council area), ...

; the priory was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was founded by King

David I of Scotland David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Modern: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and later King of Scotland from 1124 to 1153. The youngest son of Malco ...

in 1136 as a cell of

Dunfermline Abbey Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...

in the aftermath of the defeat of King

Óengus of Moray Óengus of Moray (''Oenghus mac inghine Lulaich, ri Moréb'') was the last king of Moray of the native line, ruling Moray in what is now northeastern Scotland from an unknown date until his death in 1130. Óengus is known to have been the son of ...

. It remained a dependency of Dunfermline. In 1453, John Bonally, the Prior of Urquhart formally requested from the Pope that his monastery and

Pluscarden Pluscarden Abbey is a Catholic Benedictine monastery in the glen of the Black Burn, southwest of Elgin, Moray, Scotland. It was founded in 1230 by Alexander II for the Valliscaulian Order. In 1454, following a merger with the priory of Urquh ...

be merged. At that time, Urquhart had only two monks and Pluscarden had six. A Papal Bull was issued by

Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V ( la, Nicholaus V; it, Niccolò V; 13 November 1397 – 24 March 1455), born Tommaso Parentucelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 March 1447 until his death in March 1455. Pope Eugene made ...

on 12 March 1453 joining the priories and from then on Pluscarden became a daughter house of the Benedictine

. Pluscarden was chosen over Urquhart for the priory location as the buildings were larger and thought easier to restore and Bonally was appointed as its first Benedictine prior."The Abbey", Pluscarden Abbey
/ref> The site was abandoned; there are no surface remains of the priory, although stones are occasionally ploughed up.

References

Bibliography

* Cowan, Ian B. & Easson, David E., ''Medieval Religious Houses: Scotland With an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man'', Second Edition, (London, 1976), p. 61 * Watt, D.E.R. & Shead, N.F. (eds.), ''The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from the 12th to the 16th Centuries'', The Scottish Records Society, New Series, Volume 24, (Edinburgh, 2001), pp. 213–16 {{coord, 57, 38, 58, N, 3, 11, 35, W, region:GB_type:landmark, display=title Listed monasteries in Scotland Benedictine monasteries in Scotland Christian monasteries established in the 12th century Religious organizations established in 1136 History of Moray Religion in Moray Former Christian monasteries in Scotland

See also

References

Bibliography