Kinneddar

Last updated

The mercat cross of Kinneddar, standing in the old Kirkyard Mercatcross.jpg
The mercat cross of Kinneddar, standing in the old Kirkyard

Kinneddar is a small settlement on the outskirts of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, near the main entrance to RAF Lossiemouth. Long predating the modern town of Lossiemouth, Kinneddar was a major monastic centre for the Pictish kingdom of Fortriu from the 6th or 7th centuries, and the source of the important collection of Pictish stones called the Drainie Carved Stones. The Kirk of Kinneddar was the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray between 1187 and 1208, and remained an important centre of diocesan administration and residence of the Bishop of Moray through the 13th and 14th centuries.

Contents

Today little remains of the site except the old kirkyard, including the former parish cross. The Bishop's Palace at Kinneddar went out of use in the 15th century when the barony of Kinneddar was combined into the larger barony of Spynie, with stone from the palace being used to build Spynie Palace. The Kirk of Kinneddar became redundant when its parish was combined with that of Ogstoun to form the new parish of Drainie in 1669.

Name

Kinneddar shown as "Kinedward" on a 1730 military map of Moray, also showing the remnants of the sea loch that originally cut the site off from the mainland. Laich of Moray and Loch Spynie 1730.png
Kinneddar shown as "Kinedward" on a 1730 military map of Moray, also showing the remnants of the sea loch that originally cut the site off from the mainland.

The place name Kinneddar comes from two Gaelic elements: cenn, meaning "head" or "end", and foithir, probably derived from a Pictish word meaning "district" or "region". [1] Although Gaelic in form, foithir is only found in placenames in former Pictish areas of eastern Scotland, where it often refers to high-status areas. [2] The name therefore probably reflects Kinneddar's status as a subsidiary centre of a high-status administrative area, probably centred on Burghead. [3]

Location

Kinneddar is located on a raised ridge of land originally on the edge of Loch Spynie, [4] with the loch's marshes surrounding the site on three sides. [5] Loch Spynie was a sea loch during the medieval period, stretching 11 km from Kinneddar west to Burghead and providing sheltered anchorage for seagoing vessels. [6] Kinneddar was still described as being "in a corner of the sea" in 1207, [7] but blown sand had cut the loch off from the sea creating a freshwater loch by the 17th century and in the 19th century the loch was drained to its current size. [8]

The sandstone ridge between the modern towns of Burghead and Lossiemouth would have been an island during the early medieval period and contained a group of unique and interrelated Pictish sites: as well as the religious site at Kinneddar there was Burghead Fort – the largest fortified site in early historic Scotland – and the Sculptor's Cave at Covesea, which was important to the Picts as a ritual centre. [9] This area was probably the most important centre of royal power for the Pictish kingdom of Fortriu, which flourished from the 4th to the 9th centuries. [10]

History

Pictish monastic site

Engraving of thirteen of the Drainie Carved Stones, discovered at Kinneddar in 1855 Drainie carved stones 1.jpg
Engraving of thirteen of the Drainie Carved Stones, discovered at Kinneddar in 1855

Kinneddar was one of the major ecclesiastical centres of the Picts, with radiocarbon dating showing activity on the site from the 7th century through to its first appearance in documentary records in the 12th century, [4] and possible activity as early as the late 6th century. [11] The site was surrounded by vallum ditches first cut during the 7th century [11] enclosing an area of 8.6 hectares [12] – the largest such enclosure discovered within the territory of Northern Pictland. [13] Within the enclosure there is evidence of a significant settlement and industry, [11] including a smithing hearth and evidence of ironworking, [14] and the postholes of large wooden roundhouses. [15] Annexe enclosures to the south of the main enclosure and dating to the 11th and 12th centuries suggest that the site grew in size and importance over time. [12]

The scale and layout of the site is very similar to that of Iona Abbey, suggesting that the establishment of Kinneddar may have been connected with the church of Columba. [16]

Kinneddar was the source of an important collection of carved Pictish stones, the 32 fragments representing parts of ten cross-slabs, three free-standing crosses and at least eight panels from stone shrine chests. [17] Some of the sculpture is unfinished showing that it was produced on-site. [18] The stones are decorated with patterns including knotwork and ring-headed crosses, but also include several illustrating human figures such as horse riders and warriors with spears, and one Class I stone decorated with a crescent and V-rod pattern. [19] Particularly significant is the carving on a fragment of a panel representing the biblical King David wrenching open the jaws of a lion. This is similar to the decoration on the more complete St Andrews Sarcophagus from St Andrews Cathedral and is likely to have contained the body or relics of a king or important saint. [19] David was an imperial symbol closely associated with royal power and this iconography indicates that Kinneddar was a focus for extensive royal patronage, perhaps linked to nearby Burghead Fort. [20] The sculpture from Kinneddar is closely linked to that found at the monastic site at Portmahomack, indicating that these two monastic houses may have enjoyed the bulk of royal patronage within the kingdom of Fortriu. [21]

The Pictish sculptures found in the vicinity of the castle and kirkyard point to the area being an important 8th-century Christian centre (see Culdees) and may have been a principal location for the conversion of the Picts. [22]

Kinneddar Kirk

Kinneddar kirkyard with the raised mound giving the location of the ancient Kirk of Kinneddar Kineddar Church Location.jpg
Kinneddar kirkyard with the raised mound giving the location of the ancient Kirk of Kinneddar

Within the area of the earlier monastic enclosure stood the ancient Kirk of Kinneddar. [23] At least two shrines existed within the kirk between the 8th and 10th centuries, probably containing one or more saint's relics. [24] One of these may have been the oratory or cell with a "stone bed" established at Kinneddar by the early medieval saint Gervadius, according to the 16th century Aberdeen Breviary . [3]

Kinneddar was adopted as the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray by Richard de Lincoln while he was Bishop of Moray between 1187 and 1203, [24] following the move of the bishop's seat from Birnie. [25] In 1207/8 the seat of the diocese moved again with Spynie being confirmed as the cathedral of Moray by Pope Innocent III. [24]

Although Kinneddar ceased to be a cathedral it remained important within the diocese, and charter evidence shows that it was the site of the bishopric's charter ceremonies on at least six occasions between 1226 and 1328, [26] and was the site of the signing of a diocesan memorandum during the bishopric of Alexander Bur (1362–1397). [24] Gothic tracery was added to the kirk during the bishopric of Archibald between 1252 and 1298, and when the Bishop's Palace was abandoned its tower was used by the kirk as a belfry. [24]

The parish of Kinneddar was merged with that of Ogstoun to form the new parish of Drainie on 17 February 1669. [27] The kirk at Kinneddar went out of use in 1676, with stone from Kinneddar being used to construct the new kirk at Drainie. [28] Although the foundations of the kirk at Kinneddar were recorded as still being visible in 1760, by 1792 only "vestiges" remained. [8]

Bishop's Palace

Bishop Archibald enlarged or rebuilt the castle in c. 1280 and it continued to be used by the bishops until the late 14th century. [29] [30] The palace was attacked and burned by Robert the Bruce and David de Moravia in 1308, but was repaired and recorded as the residence of Bishop Alexander Bur in 1383. [7] The palace remained the head of the barony of Kinneddar until 1451, when all nine baronies held by the Bishops of Moray were combined into a single barony headed by Spynie, and from 1462 Bishop David Stewart may have used stone from the now-redundant palace at Kinneddar in his building of the David Tower at Spynie Palace. [7] By 1623 it was being described as palatium dirutum - the "ruined" or "destroyed" palace. [31]

Nothing now exists of the castle except one fragment of a rubble wall that is integrated into the Kinneddar kirkyard boundary wall. [32]

The ruinous structure still existed in 1734 and was described as being a central tower enclosed by two concentric hexagonal walls which made it unique in Scottish terms. [29]

Notes

  1. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, p. 28.
  2. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, pp. 28–29.
  3. 1 2 Noble et al. 2019, p. 29.
  4. 1 2 Noble et al. 2019, p. 1.
  5. ↑ Oram 1996, p. 122.
  6. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, pp. 1–2.
  7. 1 2 3 Forder 2013, p. 219.
  8. 1 2 Noble et al. 2019, p. 2.
  9. ↑ Shepherd 1993, p. 78.
  10. ↑ Fraser 2009, pp. 51, 358.
  11. 1 2 3 Noble et al. 2019, p. 24.
  12. 1 2 Noble et al. 2019, p. 23.
  13. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, p. 30.
  14. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, pp. 19–20.
  15. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, p. 8.
  16. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, pp. 23–24.
  17. ↑ Ritchie, A (2019). "Drainie carved stones: Description of stones". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  18. ↑ Walker, David W.; Woodworth, Matthew (2015). Aberdeenshire: North and Moray. The Buildings of Scotland (Pevsner Architectural Guides). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. p. 21. ISBN   9780300204285.
  19. 1 2 Noble et al. 2019, p. 4.
  20. ↑ Fraser 2009, pp. 358, 360.
  21. ↑ Fraser 2009, p. 366.
  22. ↑ Oram, Moray & Badenoch, p. 98
  23. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, p. 6.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 Dransart 2016, p. 73.
  25. ↑ Dransart 2016, p. 60.
  26. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, pp. 2–3.
  27. ↑ "Kinneddar, Old Parish Church And Burial-ground". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  28. ↑ "Moray HER - NJ26NW0026 - KINNEDAR CHURCH". Moray Historic Environment Record. Moray Council. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  29. 1 2 Royal Commission on the ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Archaeological Notes: Canmore ID 16459
  30. ↑ Cramond, Records of Elgin, pp. 16–7. Cramond cites the primary source, the Registry of Moray where Bishop Bur arrests a ship on 7 June 1383 in the tidal Loch Spynie delivering cargo to the burgesses of Elgin. Bur was sailing from his residence at Kinneddar Castle to the church of Urquhart.
  31. ↑ Noble et al. 2019, p. 3.
  32. ↑ Oram, Moray & Badenoch, p. 122

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Dun Nechtain</span> 685 battle between Picts and Northumbrians

The Battle of Dun Nechtain or Battle of Nechtansmere was fought between the Picts, led by King Bridei Mac Bili, and the Northumbrians, led by King Ecgfrith, on 20 May 685.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lossiemouth</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Lossiemouth is a town in Moray, Scotland. Originally the port belonging to Elgin, it became an important fishing town. Although there has been over 1,000 years of settlement in the area, the present day town was formed over the past 250 years and consists of four separate communities that eventually merged into one. From 1890 to 1975, it was a police burgh as Lossiemouth and Branderburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County of Moray</span> Historic county in Scotland

The County of Moray, or Morayshire, called Elginshire until 1919, is a historic county in Scotland. The county town was Elgin. The historic county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975. Since 1996 most of the historic county's area has been included in the Moray council area. The historic county boundaries are still used for certain functions, being a registration county. There is also a Moray lieutenancy area, covering a slightly smaller area than the historic county. The historic county borders Nairnshire to the west, Inverness-shire to the south, and Banffshire to the east, and has a coast onto the Moray Firth to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pictish stone</span> Monuments erected by early Scottish tribes

A Pictish stone is a type of monumental stele, generally carved or incised with symbols or designs. A few have ogham inscriptions. Located in Scotland, mostly north of the Clyde-Forth line and on the Eastern side of the country, these stones are the most visible remaining evidence of the Picts and are thought to date from the 6th to 9th century, a period during which the Picts became Christianized. The earlier stones have no parallels from the rest of the British Isles, but the later forms are variations within a wider Insular tradition of monumental stones such as high crosses. About 350 objects classified as Pictish stones have survived, the earlier examples of which holding by far the greatest number of surviving examples of the mysterious symbols, which have long intrigued scholars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elgin Cathedral</span> A historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, north-east Scotland

Elgin Cathedral, a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, northeast Scotland, was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II and stood outside the burgh of Elgin, close to the River Lossie. It replaced the cathedral at Spynie located 3 kilometres (2 mi) to the north, which was served by a small chapter of eight clerics. By 1226, the new and developing cathedral was staffed with 18 canons, a number that increased to 23 by 1242. A damaging fire in 1270 led to significant enlargement. It remained unscathed during the Wars of Scottish Independence but suffered extensive fire damage in 1390 when attacked by Robert III's brother Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch. In 1402, the cathedral precinct faced another incendiary attack by the Lord of the Isles followers.

Moray was a province within the area of modern-day Scotland, that may at times up to the 12th century have operated as an independent kingdom or as a power base for competing claimants to the Kingdom of Alba. It covered a much larger territory than the modern council area of Moray, extending approximately from the River Spey in the east to the River Beauly in the north, and encompassing Badenoch, Lochaber and Lochalsh in the south and west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortriu</span> Pictish kingdom in Scotland, 4th-10th centuries

Fortriu was a Pictish kingdom recorded between the 4th and 10th centuries. It was traditionally believed to be located in and around Strathearn in central Scotland, but is more likely to have been based in the north, in the Moray and Easter Ross area. Fortriu is a term used by historians as it is not known what name its people used to refer to their polity. Historians also sometimes use the name synonymously with Pictland in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duffus</span>

Duffus is a village and parish in Moray, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spynie Palace</span> Ruined castle in Moray, Scotland, UK

Spynie Palace, also known as Spynie Castle, was the fortified seat of the Bishops of Moray for about 500 years in Spynie, Moray, Scotland. The founding of the palace dates back to the late 12th century. It is situated about 500 m from the location of the first officially settled Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Moray, Holy Trinity Church in present-day Spynie Churchyard. For most of its occupied history, the castle was not described as a palace — this term first appeared in the Registry of Moray in a writ of 1524.

Fetternear Bishop's Palace is an archaeological site of what was one of the palaces of the medieval bishops of Aberdeen. It is near Kemnay in Aberdeenshire. Later, a ruined tower-house and mansion of Fetternear House were built on part of the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spynie</span>

Spynie was a seaport, burgh and ancient parish in Moray, Scotland, that survives as a small hamlet and civil parish. It is the location of the ruins of Spynie Palace, which was the principal residence of the Bishops of Moray between the 12th and 17th centuries, and the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church, Spynie, which served as the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray between 1207 and 1224.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birnie Kirk</span> Church in Moray, Scotland

Birnie Kirk is a 12th century parish church located near Elgin, in Moray, Scotland. It was the first cathedral of the Bishop of Moray and is one of the oldest in Scotland to have been in continuous use. The graveyard, symbol stone and archaeological remains under the church have been designated a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunachton</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Dunachton is an estate on the north-west shore of Loch Insh in Badenoch and Strathspey, in the Highlands of Scotland. It occupies land immediately to the north of the A9 road and General Wade's Military Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cé (Pictish territory)</span>

Cé was a Pictish territory recorded during the Early Medieval period and located in the area of modern-day Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burghead Fort</span> Early medieval fortress in Scotland

Burghead Fort was a Pictish promontory fort on the site now occupied by the small town of Burghead in Moray, Scotland. It was one of the earliest power centres of the Picts and was three times the size of any other enclosed site in Early Medieval Scotland. The fort was probably the main centre of the Pictish Kingdom of Fortriu, flourishing with the kingdom itself from the 4th to the 9th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burghead Bulls</span>

The Burghead Bulls are a group of carved Pictish stones from the site of Burghead Fort in Moray, Scotland, each featuring an incised image of a bull. Up to 30 were discovered during the demolition of the fort to create the town of Burghead in the 19th century, but most were lost when they were used to build the harbour quayside. Six remain: two in the Visitor Centre in Burghead, two in Elgin Museum, one in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, and one in the British Museum in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loch Spynie</span> Loch in Moray, Scotland

Loch Spynie is a small loch located between the towns of Elgin and Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. Close to Spynie Palace, the ancient home of the bishops of Moray, it is an important wildlife habitat which is protected as a Ramsar Site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sculptor's Cave</span>

The Sculptor's Cave is a sandstone cave on the south shore of the Moray Firth in Scotland, near the small settlement of Covesea, between Burghead and Lossiemouth in Moray. It is named after the Pictish carvings incised on the walls of the cave near its entrances. There are seven groups of carvings dating from the 6th or 7th century, including fish, crescent and V-rod, pentacle, triple oval, step, rectangle, disc and rectangle, flower, and mirror patterns, some very basic but others more sophisticated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Trinity Church, Spynie</span> Former cathedral in Spynie, Moray, north-east Scotland.

Holy Trinity Church, Spynie was until 1735 the parish church of Spynie, Moray in north-east Scotland, and served as the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray between 1207 and 1224.

References

57°42′37″N3°18′12″W / 57.7103°N 3.3034°W / 57.7103; -3.3034

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.