Papple, Convent

NT57SE 10 5912 7236.

(NT 5912 7236) Papple Convent (NR) (Remains of)

OS 6" map (1908)

Very little is known of Papple convent. All that now remains is a small part of the walls, covered with ivy and now forming the SE end of a cow house in Papple farmyard (Estate Map of Whittingehame by Mason 1841).

Name Book 1853; NSA 1845 (J Lumsden)

Papple 'Convent': At this site is a ruinous wall some 20 to 25ft in height, 15ft long and 3ft in thickness. The traditional name suggests the situation of the toft and garden gifted by Patrick, son of Roger de Popill, to the nunnery at Haddington, and listed among its possessions in 1458. Lang suggests that it was ruined by the forces of Lord Grey of Wilton in 1548. The land on which it stood is still traditionally known as St Maurice land. Whether the house of Patrick stood on the site of the present farmhouse must be a matter of conjecture, but the present garden and enclosure of the farmhouse has udoubtedly a remote antiquity, while the ground sloping S to the river was the orchard of the convent. RCAHMS 1929; M B Lang 1929

Though both the Cistercian nuns of Haddington and the nuns of St Bothan's of the same order held lands in 'Popil', there is no evidence to support the existence of a convent here.

I B Cowan and D E Easson 1976