Inverbervie, Carmelite Friary

NO87SW 13.00 8322 7277

(NO 8322 7277) Supposed Site of (NAT) Monastery (NR)

OS 6" map (1864)

NO87SW 13.01 NO 831 727 Pottery

For 1994 watching brief by SUAT at NO 832 726, see NO87SW 80.

A house of Carmelite friars is said to have been 'recently established' at Inverbervie in a document dated 10 December 1443. (Fourteenth century charters referring to this house are spurious.) Priors occur in 1480 and 1487, and the prior and one firar who may have then constituted the community occur in 1556. A grant was made of lands and other properties formerly belonging to the friars, in 1570.

I B Cowan and D E Easson 1976

Graves were found when the turnpike road was being made, near Friars Dubbs; it is thought that this was the friars' burial ground.

New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845

The Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB) quotes the NSA and adds 'It is supposed that the monastery stood about where the parochial school now stands. There had formerly been a town house here, and several spacious mansions, believed to be the town residence of the neighbouring lairds, but no part of these buildings now remains, yet these circumstances show that a place had attracted early notice, and had been a favourite place of resort for the gentry.'

Name Book 1864

The Friars Dubb marks part of the site (of this priory), and the inn on the high ground near the bridge replaced the offices.

M E C Walcott 1874.

No further information.

Visited by OS (NKB) 19 December 1967.