Kinneddar Castle

Kinneddar is a small settlement on the edge of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It lies near the main entrance to RAF Lossiemouth on a raised ridge once surrounded by Loch Spynie. The loch stretched eleven kilometres west to Burghead in medieval times, giving Kinneddar sheltered anchorage. By the 17th century the loch had become freshwater and by the 19th century it was drained to its present size. The ridge would have been an island in the early medieval period, linking Kinneddar to Burghead Fort and the Sculptor’s Cave at Covesea. Kinneddar was a major Pictish monastic centre from the 6th or 7th centuries. Radiocarbon dating shows activity from the late 6th century through to the 12th century. The site enclosed eight and a half hectares within vallum ditches, the largest such enclosure in Northern Pictland. Excavations reveal ironworking, large wooden roundhouses and a smithing hearth. The Kirk of Kinneddar served as the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray between 1187 and 1208 before the seat moved to Spynie. Today only the old kirkyard and parish cross remain above ground. Fragments of thirty-two Pictish carved stones were found here, including unfinished cross-slabs and a panel showing King David with a lion. The stones bear knotwork, ring-headed crosses and human figures such as horse riders and warriors. One Class I stone carries a crescent and V-rod pattern, while another depicts David wrenching open a lion’s jaws. The carvings link Kinneddar with Portmahomack, suggesting both sites enjoyed royal patronage in the kingdom of Fortriu.