Crawford Priory, Cupar, March 2008.

[spacepunk]

After much faffing about and almost getting caught, a mile hike eventually led me to Crawford Priory near Cupar in Fife. I spotted this on flash earth so decided to give it a go. The facades are all intact with some great features but the insides are unexplorable due to fallen masonary and rotting stuff. I ripped my clothes, got poked in the ear by a branch, almost lost a testicle, got shat on by several crows and lost a battery. Had a great explore though.

The first view.

Amazing pillars.

Fantastic arches.

Unexplorable innards.

Mesh.

Greenery taking over.

Shame this is not a more substantial site.

Main entrance.

Chimneys.

Detail.

Just couldn't get in.

 

[Foxylady]

Fantastic place! Absolutely love that main entrance. Don't blame you for not trying to get in...looks well dodgy with all that fallen stuff. Really nice explore.

Cheers

 

[spacepunk]

Really tried my best, but 20 yards in, it just wasn't feasible. Looked great on flash earth though. Oh well, at least that's that's another one of the list. Going out again tomorrow, don't know where, stay tuned.Cheers.

 

[Goldie87]

Some nice pics there, its a fantastic looking building

 

[spacepunk]

Must've been awesome in its' prime.
Why these places are left to ruin is beyond me.

 

[smileysal]

What a gorgeous building, this must have been beautiful in its prime. It's such a shame to see places like this just left to rack and ruin. I don't think i'd have attempted to get in there either with all that fallen masonry. Great pics, love the main door, and all the stone work, etc. its beautiful.

Cheers,

Sal

 

[reddwarf9]

Echo Sals comments, it seems criminal to allow such a great building to get in that state, any idea when it was built?

 

[spacepunk]

Herer's some brief history of the place..It was built in 1758 by The Earl of Crawford and passed down thru his family. It has 2 different styles of Gothic and the main porch was built in 1921. It has lain derelict since 1971 when the cost of running the place became too much for the present owner.
It has been described as 'The most important Gothic Priory in Scotland'.
So why has no-one had a shot at restoration.

 

[boxerheaven]

beautiful place lovely photos

 

[cookiebizkit]

look realy nice shame about being poked on the ear

 

[spacepunk]

I was more upset at losing the re-charagable battery.
If anyone visits this site, it's a green Duracell.

 

[Smellycat]

Here's a couple of photos of Crawford Priory in its Glory day

 

[RichardB]

Here are another couple.

Link1

Link2

This is literally within walking distance of my house, I think I'll go and have a look once autumn sets in and the vegetation dies back a bit. I imagine the approach will involve wading through 4' nettles at the moment.

According to the blurb on one of my picture links it became a ruin within 60 years of being built

 

[zimbob]

Tis well worth a look, Bryag and I visited at the end of April, wasn't too overgrown then, link below:

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=4759&highlight=crawford

There's a few nice architectural bitties inside too...

 

[foz101]

Big shame. Also RichardB, i'm only maybe 10 mins away from here, 5 if I put the right CD on Let me know if you're up to anything interesting and i'll try to do the same.

 

[RichardB]

Will do. This is definitely on my "to do" list.

 

[dittohead]

RichardB if you go, try to avoid the houses at the left. There is a guy who is very much a nosey neighbour who comes to investigate as soon as he hears anyone about.

ps. If you find a canon lens cap it's mine

 

[zimbob]

RichardB if you go, try to avoid the houses at the left. There is a guy who is very much a nosey neighbour who comes to investigate as soon as he hears anyone about.

We drove straight up to the stables, went through the gate, and the guy who lives in the old gatehouse-type place was out in his garden. We got chatting to him, explained what we were up to, and he was sound
He has a problem with gangs of 'yoofs' going in and drinking and damaging the place, which apparently happens at night, but not with folk who have a genuine interest taking pictures he said

 

[dittohead]

We drove straight up to the stables, went through the gate, and the guy who lives in the old gatehouse-type place was out in his garden. We got chatting to him, explained what we were up to, and he was sound
He has a problem with gangs of 'yoofs' going in and drinking and damaging the place, which apparently happens at night, but not with folk who have a genuine interest taking pictures he said

Fair enough. I just hid when i saw him

 

[foz101]

Dittohead looks like an unruly youth though, so he prob would've got chased away