Kinloss Abbey

Kinloss Abbey is 29 miles east of Inverness, 3 miles northeast of Forres, at the very small Village of Kinloss, off the Moray Coast road.

The Abbey can be visited all year round free of charge. Postcode: IV36 3TL, The Abbey Inn is across the road.

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The image top is of the remains of Kinloss Abbey from the east side.

The second image is of the War Graves on the east side.

The Graveyard has a number of interesting old Grave Slabs, with carvings that normally show what type of business that family was involved in.

Grave Stones that lay flat over the grave are normally before the 1700s. Upright headstones are normally from the 1700s on, with some of the earliest of these Upright Stones containing the Scull and Crossbones.

If you like spending time viewing Old Grave Yards, the rarest Flat Grave Slabs are ones with the image of a Knight in Armour, and the most sought after, ones of Knights Templar, with the image of a Templar Cross.

The Templar's with their Vast Treasure were supposed to have traveled from France to Scotland in the early 1300s, then disappeared, with Treasure Hunters still trying to trace their movements, so as to find their Treasure.

Kinloss Abbey History

1150 - Kinloss Abbey was founded by King David I as a Cistercian Abbey ran by Monks from Melrose Abbey.

1303 - King Edward I of England visited the Abbey during the First War of Scottish Independence.

1306 - Robert the Bruce was made King of Scotland, with his forces taking control back from England over the following years.

1312 - the Abbey was awarded salmon fishing rights on the River Findhorn from Robert the Bruce. Along with other rights, Kinloss Abbey became one of the richest Abbeys in Scotland.

1329 - King Robert the Bruce died, leading to the Second War of Scottish Independence, after the English tried to take control of Scotland again from 1332.

1336 - King Edward III of England visited the Abbey during the Second War of Scottish Independence.

1356 - the Second War of Scottish Independence ended through the Treaty of Berwick.

1530s - the Catholic religion began being replaced by the Protestant religion throughout the British Isles, leading to a series of Wars, and the destruction of many Abbeys and Cathedrals.

1560 - the Reformation in Scotland began, ending Catholic Worship for Scots, leading to many of the Abbeys being abandoned.

1562 - the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots visited the Abbey before it was abandoned.

1601 - the Abbey remains were granted to Edward, Lord Bruce of Kinloss.

1643 - Kinloss Abbey was sold to Alexander Brodie of Lethen.

1652 - Lethan sold stone from the Abbey to the forces of Oliver Cromwell, to be used in the building of a Citadel on Cromwell Road in Inverness.

The Abbey is now a scenic ruin attracting many visitors on the Moray Coast tourist trail.