Abbey of Our Blessed Lady, St John the Baptist & St Andrew

Introduction

Pluscarden Abbey, in the town of Pluscarden, was founded by King Alexander II of Scotland in 1230.

History

In 1303 the armies of Edward I of England ravaged the Province of Moray and Pluscarden suffered damage. Alexander Dunbar was Prior of Pluscarden from 1533 to 1560, and died in the winter of 1560/61. In 1594 Lord Urquhart sold the lands to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, and the estate remained with the Mackenzies for seventy years. In 1821 Lord Fife altered the original calefactory of the Priory Church for use as the local Free Church.

In 1943 Lord Colum Crichton-Stuart gave the Priory and its land to the Benedictine community of Prinknash. The community took up residence by 1948, and seven years later the central tower was roofed and the bells rang again. Independence was granted in 1966 and in 1974 the monastery was elevated to the status of an Abbey. An appeal was launched in 1980 to re-roof and restore the Choir for the 750th anniversary of the founding in 1230.

Architecture and furnishings

In the seventeenth century the choir was termed the Ogilvie Aisle and served as a burying place for the Ogilvie family. The transepts were roofed in 1960 by a generous gift. The North Transept is almost certainly thirteenth century work and probably one of the oldest parts of the Abbey. The oldest memorial stone in the transepts dates from 1480 and bears the name DOM, GUI, DE BYRNET.

The great Rose Window in the north gable is sixteen feet in diameter, with a theme from the Book of Revelation. The stained glass windows in the north wall were executed by Sadie McLellan of Glasgow.

The Marian Window in the North Wall of the North Transept, by Sadie McLellan (1964-67), uses dalles de verre. The organ's pipe screen has a hexagonal design recalling the wild honey eaten by John the Baptist and fleurs-de-lys as a symbol of Our Lady.

The domestic buildings, roofed in 1960, contain Chapter House, library, refectory and dormitories. The North Gate was originally protected by a large gatehouse, the ruins of which can still be seen. The monks' rere-dorter, or lavatory block, was a detached building spanning the great drain.

On the walls of the Transepts six consecration crosses can be seen. The East Window of the Choir, 'Christ our Eucharist', was made in 1983 in leaded glass. The Visitation window in the North Transept Chapel was made in 1965 in leaded glass, a gift in memory of Elizabeth Muir of California. The Symbols of the Four Evangelists and Agnus Dei window in the North Transept Chapel was made in 1985 in leaded glass.

The Our Lady and Child window in the interior wall of the North Transept Chapel was made in leaded glass. The window in the east wall of the South Transept Chapel was made in 1998 in leaded glass. The SS Peter, Patrick, Margaret and Celtic Saints with Pluscarden Abbey window on the West Wall of the North Transept was made in 1992 in dalles de verre, given in memory of Peter Shiach. An abstract design with crosses window high up in the south wall of the transept was made in 1982 in dalles de verre.

The Saints Maurus and Placid window in the Former Noviciate Chapel was made in 1961 in leaded glass. The Peter Shiach window contains paintwork fired into the glass, highly unusual in slab-glass windows.

The choir contains a finely-carved Sacrament House showing the figures of two kneeling angels, and three comparatively well-preserved sedilia. The organ was blessed for liturgical use in July 1998.

Music and liturgy

The Mass and full Divine Office are sung by the monks each day in the Abbey church, using Gregorian Chant. At Pluscarden the Offices of Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline are still sung.

The Mass at Pluscarden is celebrated in the Ordinary Form, sung daily in Latin, with the exception of the readings which are spoken in English. At Vigils, a two-year cycle of scripture readings is used at Pluscarden.

The organ is used to accompany Lauds, Vespers and Compline. In response to Covid lockdowns, Pluscarden Abbey began live-streaming its liturgy, which became a daily feature for Mass, Vespers and Compline.

The monks have been recorded and broadcast by the BBC on several occasions. The monks' recordings are released by Ffin Records.

Parish life

The community has retained the Latin language and Gregorian Chant. The community still keeps the one week cycle of Psalms, including all the difficult Psalms.

Women retreatants are accommodated in Saint Joseph’s, a self-contained building with 8 en-suite guest rooms. Men are accommodated in St Benedict’s guest house next to the Abbey with 12 guest rooms, each with a wash basin, wardrobe, table, and bed. Groups are generally lodged in St Scholastica’s, which has ten rooms and two bathrooms with showers. Guests may share in the manual work of the Abbey, and all guests are invited to take some share of routine chores if they are able.

Oblates are members of Pluscarden Abbey's wider family: lay people or secular priests living normal lives in the world outside the walls of the monastic enclosure. Oblates usually undertake to pray some part at least of the Divine Office each day, to nourish their faith with regular spiritual reading, to serve God in their work, and to pray daily for the Pluscarden monks and for each other. The monastery sends a regular Letter to the Oblates, written by the monk appointed by the Abbot as the Oblate Master.

All services at Pluscarden Abbey are sung in Latin with Gregorian Chant. On Sundays and Feast days, Mass and Benediction are accompanied by the organ.

Visiting

Visitors may attend Mass or any of the daily offices, including Vespers. The abbey is 6 miles west of Elgin, 40 miles east of Inverness, and just over 70 miles west of Aberdeen, with airports at both cities.

Guests are received in two guest houses, and men and women of all faiths are welcome to make a retreat and share in the prayer and work of the community. A minimum two-night stay is required, and first time guests are limited to a two-week stay. Both St Joseph's and St Benedict's are equipped with Wi-Fi access.

The visitor enters the Church by a doorway in the North Transept. The visitor leaves the car at the East Gate and walks up the drive until the majestic east gable of the Abbey Church is suddenly beheld across the lawns. The old Pilgrim Road to Pluscarden hugged the forested hillside north of the valley and swept round to the imposing North Gate of the Priory precincts.

The exhibition tells the story of the abbey building and the community of Benedictines living there. The abbey has a gift shop, visitor toilets and parking on site. The abbey is marked on most maps and road atlases.