Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

DUNFERMLINE ABBEY, REMAINS OF PALACE AND KITCHENLB25965

Status: Removed

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
A
Group Category Details
100000019 - see notes
Date Added
12/01/1971
Date Removed:
24/07/2017
Local Authority
Fife
Planning Authority
Fife
Burgh
Dunfermline
NGR
NT 08919 87261
Coordinates
308919, 687261

Removal Reason

The significance of this monument is recognised by its designations as a scheduled monument (see SM90116

Description

Probably earlier 14th century; kitchen rebuilt and palace extended to NW circa 1500; palace remodelled and upper 2 storeys rebuilt circa 1540 for James V. Former 3-storey range comprising 2 long rectangular blocks: 8-bay palace/guest house running NW to SE and 3-bay kitchen adjoining at an angle to SE. Largely Gothic; tall buttressed S elevation built into sloping ground; vaulted undercroft to kitchen. Coursed dressed sandstone with sandstone ashlar dressings. Base course and band course beneath 2nd floor windows to palace. Small rectangular windows with splayed reveals to ground floor of palace; tall mullion and transom windows with splayed reveals to 1st floor; mullioned and transomed windows to 2nd floor. Lancet windows with splayed reveals to ground floor of kitchen.

PALACE: S ELEVATION: bays divided by stepped buttresses. Irregular fenestration to ground floor. Single window to each bay to 1st floor; 2nd bay from left projects forward between over moulded Gothic arch set between 2 buttresses; flanking lights to each return. Irregular fenestration to 2nd floor; canted oriel windows to 2nd bay from left and between 2nd and 3rd bays from right. Adjoins kitchen stair tower to right. W ELEVATION: only part of S portion of wall remaining; single window to ground floor. E ELEVATION: adjoins kitchen. Segmental-headed entrance to kitchen undercroft. N ELEVATION: only lower sections of walls remaining, built into sloping ground. INTERIOR: remains of rib vaults to ground floor to 5 bays to E; originally 2-aisled undercroft. Remains of later barrel vaulting inserted across entire ground floor. Ground floor fireplace towards centre of S wall; heavy corbels intact but hood missing; garderobe set within W wall; remains of turnpike staircase to N side. Segmental heads to 1st and 2nd floor windows (S wall). Later 14th century wall arcading visible to 5 1st floor bays to E; this comprised great hall; ceiling cornice above windows; window seats throughout. 2nd floor fireplace with large slab lintel to W end of S wall.

KITCHEN: S ELEVATION: bays divided by stepped buttresses; single window to each to ground floor; 2 bays to E extended at 1st floor level over pair of moulded ribbed arches set between buttresses. Stair tower projects to left of 1st and 2nd floors as upper part of buttress (single narrow window to each level). E ELEVATION: 2 ground floor entrances; that to left has moulded arch; that to right has altered segmental arch, formerly entrance to turnpike staircase; buttress to outer left. N ELEVATION: adjoins gatehouse on W side; lower part of 1st floor wall only to E; opening to street possibly on site of earlier entrance; pair of early 20th century cast iron gates with decorative wrought iron finials to major posts. W ELEVATION: adjoins palace. Dividing wall exists up to 1st floor level; parapet of early 20th century walkway above. Segmental-headed entrance to right to ground floor. Entrance (probably inserted) to left of 1st floor. Former 2nd floor entrance visible to upper left. INTERIOR: double aisled undercroft to ground floor. Quadripartite rib vaulting with roof bosses carved as flowers and faces; 2 octagonal piers to centre and one semi-octagonal pier attached to W wall. Remains of rib-vaulting to ground floor kitchen; segmental-headed arch across SW corner and turnpike staircase with segmental-headed entrance beyond probably 16th century (upper sections of staircase and walkway to gatehouse early 20th century). Remains of 2 fireplaces to N wall and large one to S. Segmental-headed former entrance to gatehouse to 1st floor (early 20th century 1st floor entrance to left of gatehouse). Basket-arched former entrance to gatehouse at 3rd floor level.

Statement of Special Interest

Property in care. A-Group with Dunfermline Abbey, Nave, New Abbey Parish Church, Gatehouse, Frater Range, Dorter and Reredorter and Entrance Gateways and Boundary Wall (see separate list descriptions). A Benedictine priory was established in Dunfermline in around 1070 by Queen Margaret, wife of Malcolm III. It was upgraded to an abbey by her son, David I in 1128. In 1304 the monastery buildings were partly destroyed by Edward I during the Wars of Independence. The palace, then the abbey guest house (albeit intended for royal guests) and the adjacent kitchen were both subsequently rebuilt. The kitchen served both the monastery refectory and the guest house. The monastery refectory could either be entered from ground floor level via the frater undercroft and NW turnpike or at 1st floor level via the gatehouse and hanging passage to the SW of the frater. The abbey was dissolved in 1560, although the palace continued in use as a royal palace. Despite being remodelled twice in the 16th century it appears to have soon after fallen into disuse. The last recorded major repairs to it were made in anticipation of a visit by Charles I in 1633.

Scheduled Ancient Monument.

References

Bibliography

David MacGibbon and Thomas Ross, THE ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, VOL I (1971 facsimilie of 1896 publication) pp 230-58; RCAHMS, INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTIES OF FIFE, KINROSS AND CLACKMANNAN pp 106-21; John Gifford, FIFE, in the 'Buildings of Scotland' series (1988) pp 175-85; Richard Fawcett, THE ABBEY AND PALACE OF DUNFERMLINE (Historic Scotland guidebook, 1990); Richard Fawcett, SCOTTISH ARCHITECTURE FROM THE ACCESSION OF THE STEWARTS TO THE REFORMATION (1371-1560) (1994) pp123-24.

Historic Environment Scotland Properties

Dunfermline Abbey Nave and Palace

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/dunfermline-abbey-and-palace

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Related Designations

  1. DUNFERMLINE ABBEY, NEW ABBEY PARISH CHURCH, CHURCH OF SCOTLANDLB25961

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Designated
  2. PITTENCRIEFF PARKGDL00315

    Designation Type
    Garden & Designed Landscape
    Status
    Designated
  3. DUNFERMLINE ABBEY, GATEHOUSELB25963

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  4. DUNFERMLINE ABBEY, REMAINS OF DORTER AND REREDORTER RANGESLB46894

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  5. Dunfermline Abbey, Nave and memorials in burial ground, excluding scheduled monument SM90116, DunfermlineLB25960

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Designated
  6. DUNFERMLINE ABBEY, REMAINS OF FRATER RANGELB46895

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  7. Dunfermline AbbeySM90116

    Designation Type
    Scheduled Monument
    Status
    Designated

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

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The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 14:08