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Publication Account

Date 1981

Event ID 1018511

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1018511

The lands of Pittenweem were granted to the monks of the Isle of May, c.1143, and thus began a centuries-long relationship which eventually led to the transference of. the priory from the Isle of Pittenweem itself. Reasons for this transference and when it came about are almost impossible to trace. Although the priory had been granted to the priory of Reading, it was transferred to St.Andrews in the period of the Wars of Independence. (In this period it appears that the term priory of May is being used interchangeably with priory of Pittenweem). On the 30 January 1549/50, the prior of Pittenweem was granted a lease of the Isle of May, which was said to have been lying waste (Cowan and Easson, 1976, 60).

The Augustinian priory of Pittenweem stood on a raised beach overlooking the east haven and standing near the site of the present parish church, which may partly overlie the foundations of the monastic church (RCAM, 1933, 222). The buildings of the priory were supposed to have formed a quadrangle. On the east was the gateway with porter's lodge, while on the south side stood the prier's hall and adjoining it, the new gallery. The Town Hall on the west occupies the site of the frater or refectory and adjoining• it was the dormitory and other buildings, including a chapel and vestries. Portions of these buildings survive and had been occupied as a minister's manse, Episcopal Meeting House, a dwelling house and latterly as a barrel store (Conolly, 1869, 211-212). Recently they have been restored as houses for two clerical families (Ordnance Survey Record Cards, Reference NO 50 SW 5.1). The church of the priory is alleged to have stood on the north side of the quadrangle. In 1592, James VI granted part of the conventual buildings to the burgh. They were specified as the:

‘greit hous...contenand the channories or monks frater

and dertor ...with the cellaries beneth and loftis abone

the samyn frater and dorter...the vestries of the said

monasteries under the abone ...the chap tour chalmer...

and cellair beneth the said chalmer' (all lying) 'on

the west pairt of the inner clois of the said monasterie,

betuix the samyn clois on the east, the galrie at the

east end of the hall of the said menasterie on the south,

the commoun gait (road), kirk yaird and houses and etc.

on the wast and the wast gardin of the said monasterie

on the north partis' (RCAM, 1933, 224).

Shortly this gift was turned into a grammar school, minister's manse, tolbooth, prison, weigh-house and custom house for the burgh.

Information from ‘Historic Pittenweem: The Archaeological Implications of Development’ (1981).

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