Crawford Priory

A remarkable ruined country house, lying immediately to the south of Springfield (Fife) and 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Cupar. Originally built as an unassuming villa by the Earl of Crawford in 1758, Crawford Priory was rebuilt from 1809 for Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford. The rebuilding was begun by architect David Hamilton (1768 - 1843) but in 1811, James Gillespie Graham (1776 - 1855) was retained to complete the work. Hamilton hid the earlier house in High Gothic, while Graham extended it to the rear in Ecclesiastical Gothic, giving it the style of a Priory. When the house passed to the 4th Earl of Glasgow in 1833, he made minor alterations and further restyling was completed by the 6th Earl in 1871. Reginald Fairlie moved the porch in 1920. This house has been described as "perhaps the most important Gothic Priory house in Scotland"

As changing financial circumstances meant that maintaining a country house became exorbitantly expensive, so parts of Crawford Priory were closed off. Eventually the entire house was abandoned and it has lain derelict since 1971, slowly falling apart.


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