14^th May 1219, William, Prior of Durham, died after a terrible accident at Lindores where he died after a fire in his bed chamber, “Wich, took fyre in the night by chance, his Chamberlain being very drunk and he asleep”.

27^th April 1256, Pope Alexander IV granted the Monks permission to create schools in Dundee, one being Dundee High School which still has a “Lindores” house. Ironically, it was from Dundee that the reformers came from in 1543 to sack the Abbey.

14^th March 1265. The first royal visit to Lindores Abbey. King Alexander III visited Lindores, accompanied by John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, Justiciar of Scotland, and William, Earl of Mar, Great Chamberlain. The presence of these officials indicates that Alexander was on one of his annual circuits for the administration of justice, for which he was so justly celebrated.

21^st January 1283. Prince Alexander, heir to the Scottish throne, died at Lindores after a short illness. Only months earlier his marriage had been celebrated with great splendour – this marriage was the cause of much rejoicing throughout Scotland as it gave promise to the removal of the possibility of a disputed succession.

His death caused great sorrow across the land and was the cause of the wars of accession, which he foretold on his deathbed at Lindores. The night before he died, he talked wildly about an approaching contest with his Uncle (Edward I), and suddenly exclaimed “Before tomorrow’s sun rise, the sun of Scotland will have set”. He was only 21 years old, and his body was taken from Lindores and buried amongst his ancestors at the Abbey of Dunfermline.

13^th September 1290. Pope Nicholas IV granted the monks permission to wear skull caps and animal furs as many had died from the cold, though the monks had to remove their caps when at Prayer.

23^rd July 1291. King Edward I ‘Hammer of the Scots’ came to Lindores amid a ‘glittering escort.’ It is recorded that John, the Abbot, Sir William of Fenton and Sir Simon Freschle (Fraser), ‘Touched the host, kissed the gospels,’ and swore upon the great altar of the Abbey church, allegiance to England’.

1^st August 1294. Lindores was visited by John Baliol and his officers of state: John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, Constable of Scotland, Alexander De Baliol, Chamberlain, and other attendants.

10^th July 1296. John Baliol surrendered the Scottish crown to Edward I, an act precipitated by the untimely death of Prince Alexander at Lindores.

9^th August 1296. King Edward I visits Lindores for a second time, He was travelling through Scotland and people of all classes were compelled to gather and swear allegiance to the Crown. Edward and his party stayed at Lindores on Thursday 9^th and remained on the Friday for St Laurence’s day, and then left for St Andrews on the Saturday. It was on this journey that he visited Scone Palace and removed the stone of destiny. Lists of those who swore fealty to Edward in Parliament in Berwick a few weeks later are still preserved amongst the English archives. The number of names recorded shows the full extent of the humiliation affected – amongst them Thomas, Abbot of Lindores is ingloriously enrolled.

28^th August 1296. Thomas, Abbot of Lindores attended the Parliament at Berwick and swore fealty to King Edward I.

12^th June 1298. William Wallace, a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence, stayed at Lindores after his victory over the English at the nearby Battle of Blackearnside. This was Wallace’s last victory before being captured and executed. It was recorded in great detail by Wallace’s ‘biographer’ Blind Harry.

The weary, battle-stained band stopped to drink from the Holy Burn, a strand of water running near to the Abbey before they entered. Wallace is said to have declared of the Lindores water that ‘The wine in France I ne’er thought half so good’

He records a long drawn-out battle, with Wallace and his men embedded in behind a stockade of thorns and brush whilst the English assaulted again and again. However, hundreds of locals from the surrounding countryside and community of NEWBURGH & LINDORES joined the fray and the English were forced to retreat. Wallace and his men carried the day.

They then headed out of the forest, down the slopes to Lindores and stopping at the Holy Burn.

Harry records:

‘The worthy Scots go into the barrier, wash all their wounds, refresh and make good cheer’. “At many bouts” said Wallace “I have been, but such a fierce attack have scarcely seen”. Then from a strand of water running by, drank first himself, then supplied abundantly, then said in sober mood. “The wine in France, I ne’er thought half so good.”

They entered Lindores through the’ slype’, the arch in the centre of the ruins, still the most recognisable part of the Abbey today more than 700 years later.

23^rd August 1305. William Wallace was executed in London, his last victory over the English being near Lindores at the Battle of Blackearnside where he defeated the Earl of Pembroke and retired with his men to Lindores to rest.

Six months after Wallace’s death, three illustrious knights of the realm, came to Lindores.

They were Sir Gilbert Hay of Errol, Sir Neil Campbell of Lochaw and Sir Alexander Seton, and here at the high altar of Lindores Abbey, they swore to “Defend King Robert the Bruce and his Crown to the last of their blood and fortunes.”

29^th June 1309. A trial occurred at Lindores, officiated by Bishop Lamerton of St Andrews and the Abbot of Arbroath whereby the Burgesses of Newburgh had objected to the payment of the Brew house tax. The existence (and dispute!) of this tax provides further evidence of early brewing at Lindores.

28^th June 1314, the Battle of Bannockburn occurred, a direct result of the untimely death of Prince Alexander at Lindores.

19^th November 1355. Sir David Lindsay paid the Abbey two merks annually for the maintenance of a wax light to be kept burning eternally at the tomb of his late wife, Lady Mary, who was buried at Lindores.

3^rd August 1364. King David II visits Lindores Abbey. During his visit he confirmed a charter by Sir David de Lindsay of Crawford providing for a light to be burned daily at his family tomb in the choir of the abbey.

25^th December 1365. King David and one hundred members of the Royal Household stayed at Lindores for a week over the Christmas period. The guests and their horses had to be sheltered and fed, with all festivities laid on for the Royal party. However, when the time came for them to pack up, they left without paying a penny, almost bankrupting the abbey! After the King died in 1372, the monastery was thankfully reimbursed and the Chamberlains rolls contain an entry for ‘£6, 13s. 4d allowed for the expenses of the late king when he kept Christmas at Lindores.’

27^th September 1367. King David II was incapable of ruling Scotland and the country deteriorated to such an extent that a Parliament was called at Scone to consider the condition of the Kingdom. William of Angus, Abbot of Lindores, attended this Parliament.

25^th March 1401. The ill-fated Duke of Rothesay was buried at Lindores after being starved whilst held ‘captive’ by his Uncle the Duke of Albany at nearby Falkland palace. His tomb became a site of pilgrimage, described as a “Place of Miracles”.

3^rd July 1432. Laurence of Lindores elected to the Dean of faculty of St Andrews University.

23^rd July 1433. Laurence of Lindores, in his capacity as Grand Inquisitor of Scotland, condemned Paul Crawar as a heritec and had him burned at the stake in St Andrews.

15^th April 1488, James 9^th Earl of Douglas, the last of the The Black Douglas line, died and was buried at Lindores Abbey on 15 April. He had spent his last five years in retirement at the abbey having been exiled there by King James III. When this happened the Douglas said “He that can do no better must needs be a Monk”.

1^st June 1494. The earliest written reference to whisky making in Scotland is recorded in The Exchequer Roll: “To Friar John Cor, 8 bolls of Malt, wherewith to make Aqua Vitae for King James IV”

15^th August 1507. Abbot Cavers of Lindores sent his man to Falkland Palace “With Plowmyss (plums) for the King” for which the King gave the messenger three shillings.

7^th November 1510. All the possessions of Lindores Abbey were erected to a “regality,” giving the Abbot nigh-on regal powers over the community and lands owned by the Abbey.

15^th June 1548, John Philp, Abbot of Lindores was called upon to furnish men for an army to assemble at Roslin Moor.

23^rd June 1559, John Knox recorded; ”In the whilk of the abbay of Lindores, a place of Black Monks, distant from St Andrewis twelve myles, we reformed: their altars overthrew we; their idols, vestements of idolaterie, and mass books we burnt in their presence, and commanded them to cast away their monkish habits.”

24^th February 1566. Abbot John resigned in favour of John Leslie, the last Abbot of Lindores, who became a life -long supporter and friend of Mary Queen of Scots. Mary bestowed on him the Abbacy of Lindores ‘In Commendam.’ Subsequently he was appointed Bishop of Ross, and by a Papal dispensation was allowed to hold both posts.

5^th November 1587. Patrick Leslie granted a tack of land in the parish of Dudhope to James Scrymegour, Constable of Dundee. This was one of the last records from Lindores Abbey.

21^st April 1585. Edinburgh town council purchases the Abbey Clock, indicating that the dismantling of the Abbey was well underway by this time.

15^th November 1600. James VI bestowed to John Leslie, the “Lands of Lindores”.

25^th December 1600. King James VI knights John Leslie, making him a Lord of Parliament, with the title “Lord Lindores”.

20^th June 1749. Sir Alexander Leslie (Lord Lindores) sold the Abbey lands to Dr Robert Laing, late Minister and Historian of Newburgh.

30^th January 1753. Dr Robert Laing, Minister and Historian of Newburgh sold the Abbey lands to Peter Hay of Leys, who’s family owned it until 1913.

13^th July 1913. The Lindores Abbey estate was bought for three thousand pounds by Mr John Howison, great-grandfather of the current custodians.

16^th July 1913. Mrs Amy Patterson-Balfour-Hay sold the Abbey lands to Mr John Howison, farmer of neighbouring Parkhill. Mr Howison’s great-great-grandchildren still live their today.

Renowned whisky writer, Michael Jackson visits Lindores Abbey, and asks if he can have a look around.

May 2001 – A book arrives at Lindores House, called ‘Scotland and its whiskies’, by Michael Jackson.  On page 170’ was a lovely picture of the Abbey. The chapter starts: ‘For the whisky-lover, it is a pilgrimage.’”

For Drew’s family, that was the first time they became aware that the ruined abbey in their back garden had a special significance – one of particular importance in the whisky world. “I thought it’s nuts to have this in your garden and not try to do something with it.”

Drew McKenzie Smith inherits Lindores Abbey, house and farm and becomes Custodian of Lindores Abbey.

February 2016 – ground was broken for the development of the farm buildings into a new state of art whisky distillery.

February 2017 – as part of the archaeological work needed before the distillery could be built, a distillation vat was discovered in the ruins, along with evidence of whisky production. The remains of the still are preserved for display in the ruins.

6th December 2017. First mash of Lindores spirit was done by Gary Haggart, Distillery Manager

13th December 2017. First run of the spirit stills ( Poppy and Gee ). Both stills charged with 3590ltr of low wines and feints, and the first spirit ran into the spirit safe at 15:56 for Poppy and 16:00 for Gee. Drew took the first cut on Poppy at 16:30 and Gary took the 2nd cut on Gee at 16:31.

20th Dec 2017. First casks were filled. 18 Old Forester Bourbons and 2 Monbazillacs in total were filled with 3975 bulk litres into cask at 63.4% strength (2531.7LPA).

February 2018 – a distillation vat was discovered in the ruins, along with evidence of whisky production. The remains of the still are preserved for display in the ruins.

5th October 2018.  Lindores Abbey Distillery opened to the public.

20th Dec 2020. This day marks three years and one day from the first distillation, the day on which our spirit officially became Scotch whisky.