Castles · Scottish Highlands
Spynie Palace
Spynie Palace — ruined castle in Moray, Scotland, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Elgin · 3.9 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Spynie Palace is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1150. Managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Wikidata describes it as: "ruined castle in Moray, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 57.6761°, -3.2914°.
Photo gallery
From Historic Environment Scotland
Dip into the history of Spynie Palace, Scotland’s largest surviving medieval bishop’s house and residence of the bishops of Moray for 500 years. Contact us today for more information.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
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.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The beginnings of the Bishopric of Moray are unclear. The first mention of a bishop was Gregoir whose name appeared on several royal charters in the 1120s. The early bishops of Moray had no fixed abode but moved between houses at Birnie, Kinneddar and Spynie. In 1172, King William I, the Lion, made grants to the church of the Holy Trinity of the Bishopric of Moray and Bishop Simon de Tosny. Formal permission for the permanent move to Spynie was given by Pope Innocent III to Bishop Bricius de Douglas in April 1206 and the transfer was probably made by 1208. Bishop Bricius attended the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 and may have appealed to Innocent to transfer the See of Moray to Elgin.…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 57.6761, -3.2914
- District
- Moray
- Postcode
- IV30 5QG
- Parliamentary constituency
- Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey
- Established
- 1150
- Nearest railway station
- Elgin — 3.9 km
- Official site
- www.historicenvironment.scot
Sources
- wikidata: Q1127580 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Spynie Palace (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Spynie Castle and Loch - Sir George Reid - ABDAG003950.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
Flagship📷 3Cathedrals · Scottish Highlands
Spynie Cathedral
Spynie Cathedral — former cathedral in Spynie, Moray, north-east Scotland.
📷 5Historic churches · Scottish Highlands
Holy Trinity Church and Burial Ground, Spynie
Holy Trinity Church and Burial Ground, Spynie — category B listed building-listed church in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Historic houses · Scottish Highlands
Spynie Church Ruins
Spynie Church Ruins — a historic house in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Natural landmarks · Scottish Highlands
Moray Coast Trail
50-mile coastal path along the Moray Firth — dolphin-watching, fishing villages.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Highlands
Johnston's of Elgin Cashmere Mill
Johnston's of Elgin Cashmere Mill — a other in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic bridges · Scottish Highlands
Brewery Bridge
Brewery Bridge — category B listed building-listed bridge in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
More places run by Historic Environment Scotland
📷 5Castles · Scottish Highlands
Castle Sween
Castle Sween — stone castle on the eastern shore of Loch Sween, Knapdale.
📷 5Castles · Scottish Highlands
Corgarff Castle
Corgarff Castle — castle and military museum in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Museums · Scottish Highlands
Duff House
Duff House — estate house in Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Castles · Scottish Highlands
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle — castle in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, UK.
Other castles from this era
📷 5Castles · London
Allington Castle
Allington Castle — stone-built moated castle in Allington, England.
📷 5Castles · London
Cheveley Castle
Cheveley Castle — castle in Cheveley, Cambridgeshire, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · London
Guildford Castle
Guildford Castle — castle in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.
📷 5Castles · London
Hertford Castle
Hertford Castle — Grade I listed castle in East Hertfordshire, England, UK.
More castles in this region
📷 3Castles · Scottish Highlands
Aberdeen Castle
Aberdeen Castle — castle in Aberdeen City, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Castles · Scottish Highlands
Abergairn Castle
Abergairn Castle — castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK.
📷 2Castles · Scottish Highlands
Aberscross Castle
Aberscross Castle — castle near Dornoch, Highland, Scotland, UK, ruinous by the 17th century.
📷 3Castles · Scottish Highlands
Aboyne Castle
Aboyne Castle — castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Spynie Palace?
- Spynie Palace is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode IV30 5QG).
- When was Spynie Palace built?
- Built or established in 1150.
- Who runs Spynie Palace?
- Spynie Palace is operated by Historic Environment Scotland.
- Does Spynie Palace charge admission?
- Spynie Palace typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Spynie Palace?
- The nearest railway station is Elgin, about 3.9 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode IV30 5QG.