Spynie Palace
Spynie Palace is built on the site of a cathedral. The cathedral of Moray was moved to Spynie in 1200 by Bishop Richard remaining there for only 24 years before being removed again, this time to Elgin. The Palace was built over the next two centuries, and would originally have stood on the banks of a loch. This loch has now been drained by the construction of a canal in 1808.
The original Palace was burned along with the village in 1390. The current stone building was probably built by Bishop Innes. Its fortifications were greatly improved by Bishop David Stewart in the fifteenth century. He excommunicated the Gordon Earls of Huntly and built David’s (or Davy’s) tower, rising up to six storeys, to protect himself from retaliation. This stands in one corner of a large courtyard, the other corners being squarer towers. Ranges of buildings including a chapel line the courtyard.
Spynie Palace was visited by James IV in 1505, and Mary Queen of Scots in 1562. The fourth Earl of Bothwell spent part of his childhood here, and sheltered here after Carberry Hill in 1567. James VI stayed at Spynie in 1589.
After the Reformation, the lands were sold to the Lindsays, but the castle itself was still used by Protestant bishops, although Bishop Guthrie was forced to surrender it and hand himself over to General Munro following a siege in 1640. The last resident bishop was Colin Falconer, who died at Spynie in 1686. The last Bishop of Moray was Bishop Hay, who was removed from office in 1688, after which the building fell into ruin.
Travels in Scotland : Spynie Palace