Spynie Palace

Spynie Palace is the ruined medieval residence of the Bishops of Moray near Elgin in northeast Scotland, with standing masonry that dates back to the medieval period. It was the principal episcopal residence for centuries and is now preserved as a historic ruin.

Key features visible today include remains of the great hall, domestic ranges and a surviving tower that illustrate the site’s role as a fortified ecclesiastical residence. The ruins are accessible to the public and interpreted for visitors.

The palace originated in the medieval era as the bishops established a formal residence; it remained in ecclesiastical use through the late medieval period and later fell into disuse and ruin. Conservation work has stabilised masonry and provided visitor information.

Spynie Palace lies a short distance northwest of the town of Elgin in Moray, set on low-lying ground near waterways and farmland.

• Heritage status: The site is a scheduled historic monument with visible medieval masonry and interpretation panels for visitors.

What to See #

• Great Hall and domestic ranges: The surviving medieval great hall and associated domestic ranges form the main visible ruins of the bishops' palace, with stone foundations and partial wall remains.
• Bishop's tower and gatehouse area: A multi-storey tower that forms the most prominent surviving vertical structure of the palace ruins, historically part of the bishop's fortified residence.