Aberdour, Old Manse
Hospital (Period Unassigned), Manse (Period Unassigned), Nunnery (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Aberdour, Old Manse
Classification Hospital (Period Unassigned), Manse (Period Unassigned), Nunnery (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 50808
Site Number NT18NE 14
NGR NT 1937 8566
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/50808
- Council Fife
- Parish Aberdour (Dunfermline)
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Dunfermline
- Former County Fife
NT18NE 14 1937 8566.
The nunnery traditionally stood on the site now occupied by the Old Manse.
W Ross 1862
The hospital of St Martha or St Mary, near which was St Martha's Well was founded in 1474 by James, Earl of Morton, for the accommodation of pilgrims to St Fillan's Well (NT18NE 10). As this project was not completed, the earl gave the lands to four sisters of the Third Order of St Francis in 1486. In 1487 the erection of the nunnery was confirmed while the manse and rights of the hospital were extinguished. The sisters finally leased their house and land to the then Earl of Morton in 1560.
H Scott (Fasti Eccles) 1925; H Scott 1950; D E Easson 1957.
NT 1935 8564. The Old Manse, on the traditional site of this establishment, is a T-shaped building of two storeys, the N wing of which is apparently of 16th or 17th century date. The architectural details of the building are obscure, the exterior having been extensively rendered; the S wing is modern. The house is in a poor state of repair. Only the first floor is occupied.
Visited by OS (AC) 11 March 1959
The old manse is as described. No further information.
Visited by OS (BS) 17 December 1975
Field Visit (1997 - 2001)
Derek Hall managed an Historic Scotland funded project to record medieval hospital sites in Scotland. Gazetteers were produced for each regional council area between 1997 and 2001 with an overall review in 2001.
