Alternative Names Old Deer Abbey; Cistercian Abbey Of Deer
Site Type ABBEY
Canmore ID 20582
Site Number NJ94NE 5
NGR NJ 96855 48107
Council ABERDEENSHIRE
Parish OLD DEER
Former Region GRAMPIAN
Former District BANFF AND BUCHAN
Former County ABERDEENSHIRE
Datum OSGB36 - NGR

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Notes and Activities

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Archaeological Notes

NJ94NE 5.00 96855 48107
NJ94NE 5.01 NJ 97007 48133 Walled Garden
NJ94NE 5.02 96855 48107 Pictish Symbol Stone

(NJ 9685 4810) Abbey (NR) (Remains of)
OS 6" map (1902).

EXTERNAL REFERENCE

Notes NMRS NOTES
Deer Abbey, Aberdeenshire.
The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, contains, amoung the 'Uncatalogued MSS of General Hutton', and numbered 7 in vol.II, a Plan of Deer Abbey in Aberdeenshire, dated 1789 and with References, to the scale of 1 inch to 1 chain. The is also a larger ground plan, to the scale of 37 feet to an inch, by Allan, dated 1805. There are also some rough Sketches of the ruined walls, in which no vestiges of Architectural treatment seem to remain.
In the Parish of Old Deer, Buchan, not far distant from the village of Deer, and upon the North bank of the River Ugie, stand the remains of this once extensive Abbey.
(Undated) information in NMRS.



Further details

RCAHMS NOTE

Notes For Pictish Symbol Stone, see NJ94NE 5.02.

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EXTERNAL REFERENCE

Notes (Location cited as NJ 9685 4810: nominated as Site of Regional Significance). Remains of Deer Abbey; Cistercian, founded in 1219. The abbey's history is obscure and, judging from the remains, the community could never have been large. In 1544 an abbot and eleven monks were recorded. The abbey fell into disrepair in the late 16th century, being partially dismantled from c. 1590.
In 1809 the ruins were cleared of rubbish and repaired by the then proprietor, James Ferguson of Pitfour (the S range being partially rebuilt), but in 1854 it was practically destroyed by Admiral Ferguson in order to build a mausoleum in the grounds. In 1930, the remains were bought by the Roman Catholic Church who gave custody to the Ministry of Works. The mausoleum was removed and the Abbey repaired and laid out as it is today.
The remains of the church and cloister can be seen along with the domestic W and S range with the kitchen and refectory, also the chapter-house, toilets, abbot's house and infirmary.
A symbol stone, sculptured on both sides, stood some years ago at the E end of a range of buildings, but there is now no trace of it.
Finds from Stones' excavations of 1985 are held in Aberdeen [City] Museum.
[Air photographic references and newspaper/typescript references cited].
NMRS, MS/712/35.

Further details

1952

REFERENCE

Notes The Cistercian Abbey of Deer was founded in 1219. The secularization of the abbey began in 1543 and its lands erected into a barony in 1587.
The dismantling of the buildings seems to have begun about 1590. They have been reduced to little more than foundations except for the south range which still remains to a considerable height, although they were partly rebuilt in 1809.
W D Simpson 1952

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17 April 1968

FIELD VISIT

Notes Deer Abbey is as described by Simpson. There is no trace of the symbol stone.
Visited by OS (NKB) 17 April 1968

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1986	EXCAVATION

Notes An application to develop the land between the guardianship site and the estate wall prompted a small excavation to estimate the extent of medieval activity in that area. Some medieval features were found, particularly to S of the Abbey buildings and to W, where the line of the main drain was identified. To E of the Abbey there was no trace of structures, and it seemed that burials may have been confined to the guardianship area.
J A Stones 1986.

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April 2002

WATCHING BRIEF

Notes NJ 968 481 Archaeological monitoring was undertaken in April 2002 at Old Deer Abbey during the initial phase of construction of a new wooden porch. Nothing of archaeological significance was found.
Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsor: HS
G Ewart and D Stewart 2002.

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6 June 2011 to 8 June 2011

WATCHING BRIEF

Notes A watching brief was maintained during the removal of a tree stump. There were no finds or features of archaeological significance other than deposits which may date to 19th-century landscaping.
Information from Oasis (kirkdale1-122357) 18 July 2012

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Books and References

Allen and Anderson, J R and J (1903) The early Christian monuments of Scotland: a classified illustrated descriptive list of the monuments with an analysis of their symbolism and ornamentation, Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.3, 162 Held at RCAHMS G.1.11.ALL

Bogdan and Bryce, N and I B D (1991) 'Castles, manors and 'town houses' survey', Discovery Excav Scot
Page(s): 26

Cowan and Easson, I B and D E (1976) 'Medieval religious houses, Scotland: with an appendix on the houses in the Isle of Man', London
Page(s): 47, 74 Held at RCAHMS C.3.2.COW

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