Fetternear Palace

Fetternear Bishop's Palace is an archaeological site of what was one of the palaces (or residences) of the medieval bishops of Aberdeen. it is near Kemnay in Aberdeenshire. Later, a ruined towerhouse and mansion of Fetternear House were built on part of the site.

The bishop’s palace at Fetternear was situated in what was, in medieval times, a separate parish. At the end of the sixteenth century the parish was incorporated, along with Logie Durno, into that of Chapel of Garioch. Fetternear’s parish kirk was dedicated to St Ninian and was on the north bank of the River Don about a mile from the bishop’s palace.

The palace itself is on sloping ground above the Marshes Burn near its confluence with the River Don opposite Kemnay. Placename scholars consider the Fetter- element of the name to be derived from the Gaelic term fetter (or fother, fodder, fether). Toponyms of this type typically refer to the situation of the place on shelving or terraced land. Scholars do not agree on the meaning of the –near element of the placename.

The lands of Fetternear belonged to the church from at least the twelfth century. However, there are few documentary references to the bishop’s palace, although the name of Fetternear (in various spellings) does occur in medieval charters. In 1157 Pope Adrian IV confirmed that the manor and lands belonged to Edward, Bishop of Aberdeen.Alexander II of Scotland designated in 1242 the lands of Fetternear and Brass (now Forest of Birse) as free forests or, in other words, hunting reserves. He granted them to Ralph, Bishop of Aberdeen.

A tradition reported in 1522 by Hector Boece, the first Principal of the University of Aberdeen, concerned Bishop Alexander de Kininmund I, who is reported to have spent Easter at Old Aberdeen, summer at Fetternear, autumn at Old Rayne and Christmas at Mortlach. According to Boece, Bishop Alexander undertook these pastoral visitations "to educate his flock and correct their errors" and, in order to fulfil these duties, he began to construct residences in each of the four named places. Boece said that Bishop Alexander completed the palaces at Aberdeen and Fetternear despite the distractions caused by the First War of Scottish Independence against England. Given that the earlier charters mention the existence of a manor at Fetternear, Bishop Alexander must have been responsible for rebuilding the palace.

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