Crawford Priory, Cupar, March 2008.

[RichardB]

Well, I've been now with Zimbob. On the way there we were talking about all the stuff people have lost there, only for me to lose my lens cap after the first picture. It turned up later in my jacket pocket, though it definitely wasn't there when I looked the first time.

It's not too bad once you're in and you've accepted that you'll be walking on three floors' worth of debris. I took pictures but I don't think they really show anything that hasn't been seen before so I'll just post a couple here.

The stairs.

Some tiles at the bottom of the stairs.

If anybody else wants to see it let me know. I'm happy to go again

 

[escortmad79]

I'm still up for visiting at some point (Back from Devon now)

 

[escortmad79]

Scan scan scan scan!

I also heard it had become redundant because of the prohibitively high cost of fuelling the place as it was all coal fired and got through some ungodly amount of coal per year. I'll try to confirm.

Visited yesterday & got speaking to the chap who lives in the gatehouse & he said it used 100 tonnes of coal per year to heat!

Bearing in mind that in todays market, coal is priced at around £275 per tonne, it would set you back £27500 a year to heat the place!!

 

[jacquelinej61]

Crawford Priory falling down.

The main reason it is so dilapidated is it had a fire go through it in the 1960's or 70's.... Before that it was inhabited. I cannot remember the details exactly but I think about 2/3 of the building was severely damaged.
My mother has photos of her father there somewhere around 1900 or perhaps a little earlier. He was a guest of his Uncle the Marquiss of Tullabardine who owned the property at that time. He enlisted under The Marquiss who led The 2nd Scottish Lighthorse. He stayed at Crawford Priory while on leave as he was first generation Australian a long way from home. It is such a shame that it has fallen apart. If it were possible to raise the money required I would restore it. Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford who was the last resident owner had the stone work added to the original Crawford house. My grandfathers name was Crawford. Lady Mary also owned a nearby coalmine so heating the house was not an issue to her. We plan to visit Scotland in the future.A visit to Crawford Priory is top of the list. I don't think we will be there in the near future though. Something that is on the drawing board way off in the future. We would also like to gather some contacts to catch up with while we are there.

 

[Foxylady]

We plan to visit Scotland in the future.A visit to Crawford Priory is top of the list...

That must be very sad and frustrating for you to see it in the condition it's in now...especially from so far away.
Thankyou very much for sharing your family's history with us, Jacqueline. It's not only interesting but puts things in perspective when you learn something about the people who once lived in the places we love to explore. And welcome to DP, btw.

 

[jacquelinej61]

Hi Zimbob and Foylady

Thanks to you both for responding to me. No doubt you are all very familiar with how this site works. It is an amazing site with so many interesting posts...but for me I have no idea how it works and imagine it will take me some time to work it all out as it is unlike anything I have used before.
Perhaps I gave the impression of lots of knowledge of Crawford Priory, its actually very limited. I learned a little from my mother basically what was in my post. My mother lost her father when she was 12 years old and she has missed him all her life. He had promised to tell her and her siblings the family history when they were a little older. She was incredibly excited to know all of it but since he was gone so soon just never happened. She has always wanted know the details of what would have been family history and it has become like family secrets as it is so hard to trace the details and know you have it right as families all seemed to have the same names and so difficult to sort it all out.
My interest is fueled by her interest and also those old photographs of her father at Crawford Priory captured my interest from when I was very young. Whenever I went home I had to see them until she couldn't remember where she put them. I'm sure she still has them and when they turn up I will be copying and posting here.
Zimbob I would love to see any other photographs you have of C/P.

 

[Keep out!]

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

Here Here.

It's a national disgrace this happens. I'm disgusted.

 

[Jaytee]

My ancestors lived at Crawford Priory

I was very pleased to see the recent photos of Crawford Priory. In the early 1900s, my paternal grandfather was chauffeur to Lord Cochrane at the Priory and my grandmother was cook there. My father and his sister were brought up there. Are the ruins still standing? I have some photos of that period if anyone is interested.

 

[jonney]

Well since this thread has already been bumped...lol and I'm up that way quite a bit now I think I will have a look see next time I'm in Cupar. I wouldn't care I could have done this after my secret bunker trip last weekend

 

[wolfism]

Are the ruins still standing? I have some photos of that period if anyone is interested.

Yes, the ruins are still standing, much as you see them in the photos.

We'd definitely be interested to see your historic photos, if you've got scans you can upload?

 

[RichardB]

Well since this thread has already been bumped...lol and I'm up that way quite a bit now I think I will have a look see next time I'm in Cupar. I wouldn't care I could have done this after my secret bunker trip last weekend

Give me a shout next time you're coming up and I'll take you to it- and show you some related bits and bobs too if you're interested.

 

[jonney]

Give me a shout next time you're coming up and I'll take you to it- and show you some related bits and bobs too if you're interested.

Sounds like a plan mate. I'll let you know when I'm up there next. Probably be in the next couple of weeks as Mrs. Jonney is up there staying with friends at the moment so I'll no doubt get the job of bringing her back home

 

[spacepunk]

They (whoever they are) have planted big boulders at the entrance gate, so now you have to find somewhere else to park. While you are there you may as well visit the mausoleum, hidden in the trees, just up the road and Cults brickworks ain't to far away either(though that's prob a no go now). There are some limekilns and also some mines about 1/2 mile nearby in the vincinity, loads to see and do.

 

[Jaytee]

Uploading pictures

I don't know if it's my age, but I can't see how to upload pictures with a reply. Can anyone help please?

 

[foz101]

I don't know if it's my age, but I can't see how to upload pictures with a reply. Can anyone help please?

You have to host pictures externally (photobucket, flickr, imageshack, your own webspace) then link to the images in the post. There is more info in the FAQ forum.

 

[wolfism]

I don't know if it's my age, but I can't see how to upload pictures with a reply. Can anyone help please?

Not sure if there's anything on this site that goes into detail, but [ame="http://www.urbexforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=114"]this[/ame] may help.

If you go to www.photobucket.com you can open a free account, and upload photos to it. You can either resize them on your computer (using Photoshop, Picasa or some software like that), or get Photobucket to resize them for you. For forums, it's better to make them 640 pixels wide.

Once uploaded, you can copy the IMG code from the box underneath each picture in Photobucket (as explained in the link above) then paste in the code into your reply to a posting here. When you click the "Preview post" button below, you should see a photo appearing, rather than the code.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jaytee]

Early photos of Crawford Priory

 

[Jaytee]

Crawford Priory photos

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/3937119454_82bbe87256.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/3937138028_ca4d985d23.jpg

 

[foz101]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/3937119454_82bbe87256.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/3937138028_ca4d985d23.jpg

Nearly there. Put

at the end of each picture URL and it will show them.

 

[Jaytee]

Thanks for all the help. I think I've got there in the end.

This photo has "Approx 1915" written on the back by one of my parents.

This is from a postcard that my father sent to his father when he (my grandfather) was serving in France during the First World War. It says on the back that my grandfather carried it with him throughout the War.

I have two photos of my grandfather standing beside cars he drove. They may have been taken at Crawford Priory. I can upload these if anyone is interested.