Last year at this time I was in Scotland, which means that I am now officially a year behind on the blog! Ack! It happens so quickly! I am really going to make an effort to get all caught up in the next few weeks...so, without further ado, let's return to my adventures abroad!
Beauly Priory; Beauly, Scotland
Beauly Priory was founded around 1230 by monks of the Valliscaulian
order. They came from their mother house in Burgundy, in France, and
settled beside the Beauly River, at the place where it enters the Beauly
Firth. They were invited to do so by the lord, Sir John Bisset. And
there their successors lived for the next 300 years, until the
Protestant Reformation of 1560 brought their cloistered and
contemplative life to an abrupt end. Today their legacy lives on, in
their pretty, tree-fringed abbey church, roofless but otherwise largely
intact.
Only the abbey church now survives. It
takes the form of a Latin cross, with a three-bay choir to the east, and
a seven-bay nave to the west, and at their junction two flanking
transepts to north and south.
Neither the choir nor the nave was aisled. The entire building, except
the south transept, was laid out in a single operation. However, the
surviving structure exhibits architectural styles from throughout its
time as a place of worship. These include the 13th-century Y-tracery
windows lighting the presbytery, the three trefoiled windows lighting
the monks’ choir, and the graceful west front, rebuilt as late as the
1540s by Abbot Robert Reid.
The church houses some fine funerary
monuments. There is one to Prior Alexander Mackenzie (died 1479) at the
entrance to the south transept, now minus its effigy. Another one,
dedicated to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail (died 1492), stands at the
entrance to the north transept, still with its knightly effigy. Other
Mackenzie tombs lie in the north transept, which was restored in 1900–01
as their burial aisle and is normally locked.
It became a Cistercian home around 1510. The church
was roofless in 1633, the stone is said to have been used by Cromwell
to build a fort in Inverness in 1650. A plaque tells of Mary Queen of
Scots’ visit here in 1564 and her travels in the Highlands.
Located in the
village of Beauly, t
he ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory,
i
s
one of
three founded
b
y
t
h
e
o
r
d
e
r
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt. - See
more at:
http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands. Descriptive plaques point out all the
points of interest.
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt. - See
more at:
http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt. - See
more at:
http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt. - See
more at:
http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt.
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands. Descriptive plaques point out all the
points of interest.
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt.
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands. Descriptive plaques point out all the
points of interest.
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt.
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt.
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt.
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt.
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.dpuf
Located in the
village of Beauly, the ruined church of a
Valliscaulian
priory, is one of
three founded by
the
order
in 1230. Part of the building was later rebuilt.
It became a
Cistercian home around
1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is
said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in
Inverness in 1650.
It was the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Lovat (Frasers)
-
"In 1544 Beauly Priory saw a sad funeral procession enter the
restored church, bearing the bodies of Hugh Lord Lovat and his
eldest son (by his first wife) Hugh Master of Lovat, killed in a
clan fight. Lord Lovat's son (by his second wife) Alexander, who
succeeded on his father's and elder half-brother's death, before
1555 married Janet, the daughter of Sir John Campbell of
Cawdor."
A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots' visit here in 1564 and
her travels in the Highlands
- See more at: http://www.explore-inverness.com/what-to-do/castles-great-places/beauly-priory-ruin/#sthash.gOM0dP3b.d
We then ventured on to Urquhart Castle, but we were too late for a tour. Pretty much everything closes down just before five pm in Scotland (at least in the Highlands). It is a shame since the sun really doesn't set until after eleven pm (it was crazy!). We revisited Urquhart another day, so I won't go into detail about the castle just yet. Still, we had fun exploring what we could!
