Visit Kinloss Abbey, Moray, Scotland

King David I founds Kinloss Abbey.

1st Abbot, Anselm and monks occupy the Abbey.

Reinerius made 2nd Abbot.
Papal Bull issued by Pope Alexander III confirming the Abbey.

Richard, Bishop of Moray, takes Abbot and monks under his protection.

Reinerius becomes Abbot of Melrose Abbey.
Radulphus made 3rd Abbot.

Radulphus becomes Abbot of Melrose Abbey.
Ralph made 4th Abbot.

General Chapter of the Prelates of the Cistercian Order held at Kinloss.

Monks sent from Kinloss to found Culross Abbey.

Richard made 5th Abbot.

Monks sent from Kinloss to found Deir Abbey.

Herbertus made 6th Abbot.

Henry made 7th Abbot.
Thomas made 8th Abbot.

Symon made 9th Abbot.

Richard made 10th Abbot.
Abbey partly destroyed by fire.

Andrew made 11th Abbot.
Thomas made 12th Abbot.

Edward I "hammer of the Scots" camped at Kinloss Abbey for approx. 3 weeks.

Robert I (The Bruce) granted Abbey the fishing rights to the Findhorn.

Adam made 13th Abbot.

Abbey receives more land in Inverness, Forres, Elgin and Aberdeen.

Edward III stayed at the Abbey whilst rescuing the besieged Countess Atholl from Lochindorb Castle.

Richard made 14th Abbot.
Earl of Sutherland bestows upon the Abbey the Hospital and lands of John the Baptist of Hebnisden.

Charter from David II gives Abbey land at Aberdeen.

Adam of Teras made 15th Abbot.

Construction starts on Abbots Hall.
Abbacy granted Mitre with seat in Parliament.

Stories of strange scandals start spreading and accounts of immoral lives of the Abbot and the monks were beginning to give cause for concern in Rome and Citeaux.

William Blair, LL.D made 16th Abbot.

John Flutere made 17th Abbot.

Scandal still rife within Abbey, Abbot John degraded from post.
John Ellem made 18th Abbot. He bought many gifts for the Abbey and commenced repairs to the fabric of the monastery including the planning of a Bell Tower to stand above the choir of the church.

James Guthry made 19th Abbot.

Bell Tower completed and spire mounted above.

William Galbraith made 20th Abbot. The first Abbot to send for Papal Bulls to confirm Office. Was kidnapped by Baron Kilravock and rescued by the Sheriff of Moray, Sir James Dunbar.

William Culross made 21st Abbot.

Monk William Butler committed murder by striking a young boy in a fit of anger and killing him in the cloister. Butler sent to Rome under escort of another monk to receive punishment from the Pope. Letters of absolution received by the Abbey but neither monk was seen again.

Thomas Chrystall made 22nd Abbot. There were only 14 monks at the Abbey and were recorded to be lax in their duties and immoral.

John Gordon, eldest son of Earl of Huntley, broke into the Abbey and committed theft.

Abbot Thomas acquired new silver and vestments for the Abbey and corrected the monks errors. He spent much of his office putting right all that had deteriorated over the previous 100 years. He sent many monks away to be properly educated and introduced 12 new monks to the Abbey.

Great damage is caused to the Abbey when it is inundated by flood.

Robert Reid made 23rd Abbot, probably the Abbey's most prolific and successful Abbot. He brought with him the historian and educator John Ferrerius.
Reid made commendator of Beauly Priory in Ross-shire.

Abbot Reid goes to France to discuss with Francis I marriage of James V.

Ferrerius returns to Rome.

Spacious fireproof library erected.

Artist Andrew Bairtrum employed by Reid to create various works around the Abbey.

Reid employs William Lubias, skilled gardener from Dieppe, to rebuild the Abbey Gardens. He introduced 123 varieties of pear and 146 varieties of apple into the Moray area. Lubias was also a skilled surgeon.

Reformation begins in Scotland.

Reid sent the Henry VIII to arbitrate over disputed lands between the kingdoms.

Abbot Reid is one of the commissioners that arranges peace between England and Scotland.

Walter Reid (Roberts nephew) made 24th and last Abbot.

Robert Reid dies in Dieppe returning from the marriage of the Dauphin of France to Queen Mary Stuart. He is buried in the Chapel of St. Andrew, St. James Church in Dieppe.

James VI
(James I of England 1603)

With money left in Robert Reid's Will, the Kirk of the Field is purchased in Edinburgh and the first buildings of the University are erected.

Reid disposes of all the land immediately around the Abbey enclave.

Walter Reid dies leaving the remaining Abbey property and possessions to his wife.

The Barony of Kinloss and the other lands of the Abbey are raised into temporal Lordship and Barony under the control of Edward Bruce, descendant of Robert Bruce.

Edward Bruce created Master of the Rolls, Lord Bruce of Kinloss.

Lord Edward Bruce dies, eldest son Edward inherits estate.

Thomas, third Lord of Kinloss, inherits the estate.

Abbey lands and ruins sold to Alexander Brodie of Lethen

Alexander Brodie sells stone from the Abbey Church to Cromwell so he can build the Citadel at Inverness. Since the Reformation the local population had used the Chapter House as their place of worship. The Presbytery of Elgin challenged Brodie for destroying the locals place of worship. As penitence Brodie agrees to build a Parish Church for Kinloss.

Kinloss Parish Church completed.

First Minister James Urquhart appointed.

Citadel in Inverness demolished by order of the Government so finally laying to waste the history of the Cistercian Monastery of Kinloss Abbey.