Elcho Priory facts for kids

Elcho Priory was a medieval priory (a type of monastery) in Perthshire, Scotland. It was a home for Cistercian nuns and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Where Was Elcho Priory?

Elcho Priory was located in the area of Rhynd, about three miles southeast of Perth. It sat on the south bank of the River Tay. This was the only Cistercian nunnery in Scotland north of the Firth of Forth. It was also about a mile west of Elcho Castle.

The priory owned some land and also rented other nearby areas. One of these was part of the Hill of Coates, which was behind the nunnery. The church of the nunnery was on the north side of the site. It faced east-west with its entrance on the west. It was first 7 meters wide and 15 meters long. Later, it was made bigger to be 8 meters wide and 21 meters long.

The priory was in the western part of the Elcho area. This area, along with Elcho Castle, belonged to the Wemyss family. Before the Reformation, the Wemyss family would protect the nuns during English attacks. In return, the priory leased some of its lands to them.

How Elcho Priory Started

Historians say that the story of Elcho Priory is a bit unclear. It is believed to have been founded before 1241. It was started by David Lindsay of Glenesk and his mother, Mary Abernethy. Mary's father, Alexander Abernethy, owned land at Elcho during the time of Robert the Bruce. Another idea is that David Lindsay's mother was Aleonora de Limesay.

Some believe Elcho was first connected to Dunfermline Abbey and later to Scone Abbey. However, other records suggest it stayed linked to the priory of May and Reading Abbey. Elcho was a Cistercian house. It was one of four monasteries built along the Tay River. The others were Scone Abbey (for Augustinian monks), Lindores Abbey (for Tironensian monks), and Balmerino Abbey (another Cistercian house).

Life as a Cistercian Nun

As a Cistercian place, Elcho would have followed very strict rules. The nuns lived simply, with only what they needed. They had to follow all fasts carefully. They also had to keep silent most of the time, only speaking about religious topics. Cistercians also had workers who helped with farming. These workers tilled the land, gardened, cared for orchards and fields, and looked after sheep and cattle.

Who Lived at the Priory?

Historians have found that women in Scottish convents usually came from families nearby. Most lived within about fifteen miles of their convent. For example, a list from 1532 shows eleven nuns whose surnames were all from the local area. These included Elinor Stewart, Christian Moncrief, and Eupheme Leslie, who was the prioress.

Euphemia Leslie was one of the most famous prioresses. However, her family background is a bit of a mystery.

• Some say she was the daughter of Walter Leslie, a priest from Kirkton of Menmuir.
• Her personal seal had the symbols of the Leslie and Stewart of Atholl families. This suggests her father might have been James Leslie, and her mother a daughter of John Stewart, Earl of Atholl.
• Others link her to the Leslies of Rothes.
• She is also thought to be the sister or daughter of Robert Leslie. He helped her become prioress.

Janet Leslie, Euphemia Leslie's niece, was also at the convent around 1539-1540. Elizabeth Rollock was a subprioress (a nun in charge of other nuns) from 1525-1526. She was still listed as a nun in 1532.

While prioresses often came from rich families, some nuns might have been from ordinary families. For example, Katrina Smith's surname suggests she had humble beginnings. Not all nuns could read or write. In 1532, the prioress signed her name, but nine other nuns could not write. A notary (a public official) had to write their names for them.

Elizabeth Pait also received money from Elcho and was mentioned in Euphemia Leslie's will. Her family is not known.

Not everyone living at the priory was a nun. Margaret, the second daughter of King James II, lived at Elcho. She arrived around 1489 during the reign of her nephew, King James IV. She had enough money to stay until 1502. The king's records show he often sent "supplies for the Lady Margaret," including a new dress. Margaret was not a nun, but in those uncertain times, a religious house was a safe place for a lady without protection. King James IV continued to support Elcho. In 1503, he promised "firm peace and protection" to the Prioress and the nuns. This meant he would protect their lands, people, and all their belongings. This promise was announced publicly in Haddington.

Financial Troubles and Recovery in the 1500s

Euphemia Leslie grew up at Elcho. At 18, she asked the Pope for special permission to become the prioress. This was granted around 1524-1525. The Pope's order also said that Elizabeth Swinton, the previous prioress, had to step down. Under Elizabeth, the priory had almost gone bankrupt.

Dame Elizabeth said the problems were not her fault. She blamed John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atholl and Bishop Andrew Stewart of Caithness. They had forced their way into the monastery with 80 armed men and locked her in a room. For over three years, they took money and goods from the monastery. To keep the priory going, she had to sell valuable items like "cups and other precious things."

Whatever the reason for the financial disaster, it was up to Euphemia Leslie to make the priory strong again. Her brother, Robert Leslie of Innerpeffray, helped her. He spent his own money to get back the valuable cups and support the monastery for two years. In return, Dame Euphemia leased him some lands, which brought in money for him.

A Sad Event: An Assassination

In 1346, as King David II was getting ready to invade England, he called his noblemen to meet in Perth. Among them were Raghnall Mac Ruaidhrí and William III, Earl of Ross. Raghnall stayed with his men at Elcho Priory, a few miles from Perth. He planned to meet the king the next day.

However, during the night, Earl William, who had a quarrel with Raghnall, attacked. He broke into the monastery, killed Raghnall and seven of his men, and then fled north. Many of his followers left too. This left the king with fewer men just before his invasion. Many people saw this act of betrayal as a bad sign. Soon after, King David was captured in England and remained a prisoner for eleven years.

Mugdrum Cross Tradition

Local stories say that the nuns of Elcho would travel south every year. They went to Ecclesia Magridin, or Exmagirdle, in Fife. There, they would honor Saint Magridin. On their way, they would stop at Mugdrum Cross. The name Mugdrum comes from Magridin. At the cross, they would meet the monks from Lindores Abbey. They would greet each other and pray to the saint before continuing their journey. The old path the monks used to travel to Mugdrum can no longer be seen.

Attack and Decline

After Scotland lost to England’s Henry VIII at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in September 1547, the English tried to take control of the Scottish Lowlands. On December 29, the English commander at Broughty sent men to burn a nunnery near Perth. They took away all the nuns and many daughters of important families who were studying there.

Sir John Wemyss, who was supposed to protect them, helped after this attack. He gave them money to repair the church and other buildings. He also lent them 20 bolls (about 6,300 pounds) of barley. The nuns were very thankful and promised to pay him back. A few years later, he lent them 200 merks (a type of coin) to help with debts. These debts were so bad that the priory was almost "under process of cursing." This was a serious religious punishment, like being cut off from the church. It could lead to legal action, arrest, and their goods being taken. If this happened, the priory's religious work would have stopped.

The priory could not pay Wemyss back. So, they leased him their main lands, the Mains and Grange of Elcho, for £40 Scots each year. By the time of the Reformation in 1560, almost all the priory lands, except the buildings and orchard, were owned by John Wemyss. He continued to look after the nuns' affairs until he died in 1572. However, it seems the nuns could not return to Elcho because they could not afford the repairs.

By the end of 1570, Euphemia Leslie had died. The leadership of the priory passed to Andrew Moncrieff. He gave the monastery, its orchards, and surrounding areas to his brother William. He described them as "lying waste and without inhabitant." Even though the nuns were no longer at the monastery, they were probably still nearby, perhaps protected by Wemyss. Euphemia Leslie and two of her servants lived in Perth from the time they left the priory until she died.

One of the servants, Helen Stewart, got married. She and her husband received a yearly payment from the Elcho rents, paid by the Wemyss family.

What Remains Today?

Very little of Elcho Priory remains today. In 1760, a bishop named Richard Pococke could still see "the tower of the church and the foundations of the buildings." In 1789, some parts of the nunnery were still visible, surrounded by an orchard. However, by 1905, James Ballingal noted that only "scarcely visible remnants" of the nunnery were left. In the 1960s, archaeologists found only "grassed-over foundations of at least two rectangular buildings."

Archaeologists dug at the site of Elcho Priory between 1968 and 1973. They found the bones of 31 people. These included 21 babies, children, and young adults, and 10 adults (both male and female) aged 20 to 55. These were likely people who had the special right to be buried at the priory. This would include people who supported the nunnery and their families, as well as the families of the workers who farmed and maintained the priory's lands.

Other items found at the priory included pottery, stained glass, pins, and lace-ends (for shrouds). They also found parts of a bronze lamp. Scottish coins from the time of James IV (1488-1513) and English coins from Henry VIII (1509-1547) were uncovered. An iron key, leatherworking tools, and items made of bone were also found. These bone items included a die, two beads (possibly rosary beads), and parts of possible handles.

Animal bones found at the site showed that both farm animals and wild animals were present. These included cattle, sheep or goats, pigs, birds, fish, shellfish, a horse, a dog, a cat, a hare, a squirrel, and possibly a roe deer.

Prioresses of Elcho Priory

• Agnes of Arroch (around 1282)
• Euphemia O'Beolan, Countess of Ross (around 1394-1398)
• Isobella (around 1445)
• Elizabeth of Aberlady (around 1485)
• Margaret Swinton (1493–1511)
• Elizabeth Swinton (1511–1527)
• Magdalen (during the reign of James V)
• Euphemia Leslie (January 14, 1529 - around 1570)

Elcho Priory in Stories

Elcho Priory has appeared in some fictional works:

• The Fair Maid of Perth by Sir Walter Scott
• Lord of the Black Isle by Elaine Coffman