Alternative Names Town Hall; Great House; Prior's Lodging; St John's Rectory
Site Type PRIORY
Canmore ID 34240
Site Number NO50SW 5
NGR NO 54956 02573
Council FIFE
Parish PITTENWEEM
Former Region FIFE
Former District NORTH EAST FIFE
Former County FIFE
Datum OSGB36 - NGR

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Architectural Notes

The south end was rebuilt in 1821 as Pittenweem Town Hall

Non-Guardianship Sites Plan Collection, DC28437- DC28440, 1954.

Archaeological Notes

NO50SW 5.00 54956 02573

NO50SW 5.01 54974 02602 Gatehouse
NO50SW 5.02 54912 02601 Parish Church
NO50SW 5.03 549 026 Priory Walls
NO50SW 5.04 54930 02618 Church Yard

See also:
NO50SW 464 5492 0267 Proposed new Town Hall

(NO 5495 0257) Priory (NR)
OS 1:10000 map (1973)

The remains of Pittenweem Priory surrounding the Inner Close are:
(a) the 3-storeyed W range, known as the Great House. This was built in the 15th century (SDD List 1962), and was the part where the monks and their servants lived. It was secularised late in the 16th century, and part rebuilt as the Town Hall in 1821. The remainder, to the N, has been recently restored as houses for two clerical families (H Fenwick 1970). (b) A 3-storeyed S range, the Prior's Lodge, of 16th century date, later restored as a rectory, and
(c) the N wall, mostly of 17th century date. See NO50SW 5.01 - 5.03). The lands of Pittenweem were granted to the monks of May (see NT69NE 1) by David I c.1142. While it is commonly assumed that this priory was established through the transference to Pittenweem of the community in the Isle of May during the late 13th or early 14th century, i.e. in the period within which the priory of May passed from the possession of the Benedictine Abbey of Reading into the possession of the Augustinian Priory of St Andrews, it is impossible to trace the precise course of events or to assign it a specific date. The available evidence presents and abundance of problems and discrepancies. The monastic buildings were granted to the burgh of Pittenweem by James VI in 1593.
RCAHMS 1933; D E Easson 1957

The Prior's Lodge and the Great House are now private residences and are as described. (See NO50SW 5.03 for precinct wall.)
Visited by OS (DWR) 30 May 1974

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): 94-5 Held at RCAHMS C.3.2.COW

Cowan and Easson, I B and D E (1976) Medieval religious houses in Scotland: with an appendix on the houses in the Isle of Man, London
Page(s): 80 Held at RCAHMS C.3.2.EAS.R

Easson, D E (1957a) Medieval religious houses in Scotland: with an appendix on the houses in the Isle of Man, London
Page(s): 80 Held at RCAHMS C.3.2.EAS