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Greyfriar's, Elgin

Draughtsman: Lucas, Thomas Geoffry · 1872-1947Architect: Kinross, John, RSA · 1855-1931

Greyfriar's, Elgin

The Franciscan buildings on Abbey Street, Elgin, date back to 1479. Between 1684 and 1804 they were occupied as a mansion house then left uninhabited…

The Franciscan buildings on Abbey Street, Elgin, date back to 1479. Between 1684 and 1804 they were occupied as a mansion house then left uninhabited and fell into ruin.

They were finally sold in 1891 when purchased by the Elgin Community of the sisters of Mercy who were seeking larger premises but didn't have the resources to convert the buildings.

John Patrick, 3rd Marquess of Bute then bought the ruins from the Sisters in 1895 and engaged Kinross to carry out the necessary restoration, which he did with careful attention to detail, informing his plans by visits to similar sites in the north of Scotland, and relying heavily on King's College, Aberdeen.

The project was not completed until 1908 during which time the 3rd Marquess had died, but his son Lord Colum gifted the finished buildings to the Sisters of Mercy.

They continued to run the convent until 2010 when the building was faced with closure until the Archbishop of Aberdeen invited the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia in the USA to take over the running of the premises.

The drawings are by Geoffry Lucas. He was possibly an architect in John Kinross' practice.