Kinloss Abbey

About

Kinloss Abbey is a Cistercian abbey at Kinloss in the county of Moray, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1150 by King David I "in order to extend the benefits of civilisation to the remoter regions under his sway." The legend of its founding is similar to that of the founding of Holyrood Abbey. According to the legend, while hunting, the king lost his way in the woods but was rescued by a deer, which guided him to a clearing.

He was later persuaded by a vision, which he regarded to have been sent by the Virgin Mary, to build a church there in her honor. It was first colonised by monks from Melrose Abbey. It received its Papal Bull from Pope Alexander III in 1174, and later came under the protection of the Bishop of Moray in 1187.

The abbey went on to become one of the largest and wealthiest religious houses in Scotland, receiving the valuable salmon fishing rights on the River Findhorn from Robert the Bruce in 1312, subsequently renewed by James I and James IV. During its history the abbey has received many royal visitors, including Edward I in 1303, Edward III in 1336 and Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1562. The most renowned of the 24 abbots the monastery had was Robert Reid.

Reid introduced...