Spynie Palace The luxurious residence of the powerful Bishops of Moray, the origins of Spynie Palace go back to the early 13th century. At that time there was no fixed residence for the bishop, nor, indeed, was there a fixed location for the cathedral. Instead, the bishops moved between the churches at Birnie, Kinneddar, and Spynie. In 1208 Bishop Brice finally established his cathedral at Spynie, in part because it stood on the edge of a sea loch, allowing convenient access for ships. The loch is now well inland, but in the medieval period it was connected to the sea, and the port at Spynie was a bustling place, with merchant vessels and fishing boats coming and going. Nothing of that medieval bustle remains, and today Spynie is a quiet hamlet, and you are more likely to hear only the sound of the wind and birdsong on the air. History The cathedral did not stay long at Spynie, for in 1224 Bishop Andrew of Moray, with papal consent, moved it to Elgin, closer to a busy market, and protected by proximity to the royal castle there. However, the bishops official residence stayed at Spynie. By the end of the 13th century the bishops palace had become a substantial building, able to offer accommodation to travelling nobility and royal visitors. The Wolf of Badenoch In 1370 Bishop Alexander was forced to pay protection money to the notorious Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan and brother of Robert III. Stewart, known to history as the Wolf of Badenoch, was a vindictive and cruel man, and must have been a difficult protector to deal with. Certainly, Bishop Alexander thought so, for in 1390 he asked Thomas Dunbar, son of the Earl of Moray, to help him deal with Stewart. The Wolf was not slow to react; he led his band of merciless soldiers in an attack on Elgin. They burned the cathedral, the town, and the residences of the cathedral canons. Spynie apears to have been spared, perhaps because King Robert ordered his brother to leave the palace alone. Rebuilding Spynie While the bishops put money into rebuilding Elgin Cathedral, they did not forget Spynie, turning the residence into a fortified residence more castle-like than palatial. The core of the new palace was Davids Tower, named for Bishop David Stewart. At the heart of the new tower was a great hall, perfect for entertaining on a lavish scale. James IV was almost certainly entertained in the great hall when he passed through Spynie on a pilgrimage to St Duthacs shrine at Tain. Though now open to the sky, the great tower is still impressive, and you can mount the spiral stairs to the roof for wonderful views over the palace and the surrounding area. Queens and Earls But James IV was not Spynies last royal visitor. In 1562 Mary, Queen of Scots, visited Spynie prior to her victory over the rebellious Earl of Huntly at Corrichie. The bishop at that time was Patrick Hepburn. In 1576 Hepburns nephew, the 4th Earl of Bothwell, married the unfortunate queen. After Mary was captured by her enemies at Carberry, Bothwell fled to his uncles palace at Spynie. There he foiled a plot on his life and killed one of the bishops sons. Eventually Bothwell fled north to Orkney and then on to relative safety in Norway. He eventually died in a Danish prison. Additional domestic quarters were added in the subsequent 200 years, including corner towers and an east gatehouse. The Protestant Reformation changed the role of the palace, and the last bishop left in 1689, after which the buildings were left to decay. Finally, in 1689 Parliament abolished the office of bishop, and Spynie was left to deteriorate.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 06:23:13 +0000
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