Elgin

Sister cities

• Landshut

History

The discovery of the Elgin Pillar, a 9th-century class II Pictish stone, under the High Street in 1823 suggests there may have been an Early Christian presence in the area of the later market, but there is no further evidence of activity before Elgin was created a Royal Burgh in the 12th century. In August 1040, MacBeth's army defeated and killed Duncan I at Bothganowan (Pitgaveny), near Elgin. Elgin is first recorded in a charter of David I in 1151 in which he granted an annuity to the Priory of Urquhart. David had made Elgin a royal burgh around 1130, after his defeat of Óengus of Moray. During David's reign, the castle was established at the top of what is now Lady Hill. The town received a royal charter from Alexander II in 1224 when he granted the land for a new cathedral to Andrew, Bishop of Moray. This finally settled the episcopal see which had been at various times at Kinneddar, Birnie and Spynie. The ancient Forest of Darnaway was designated a Royal Forest and was used by the Scottish kings for hunting. Alexander II was Elgin's greatest benefactor and returned many times to his royal castle. He established the two religious houses of the town, the Dominicans or Blackfriars on the west side and the Franciscans or Greyfriars in the east. Further to the east stood the Hospital of Maison Dieu, or House of God also founded during the reign of Alexander II for the reception of poor men and women. On 19 July 1224, the foundation stone of the new Elgin Cathedral was ceremoniously laid. The cathedral was completed sometime after 1242 but was completely destroyed by fire in 1270. The reasons for this are unrecorded. The buildings now remain as ruins date from the reconstruction following that fire. The Chartulary of Moray described the completed cathedral as "Mirror…

Most-observed species

• Herring Gull

  Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763 · Aves
  1,778
• Carrion Crow

  Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,323
• common bottlenose dolphin

  Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) · Mammalia
  1,220
• Eurasian Oystercatcher

  Haematopus ostralegus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,208
• Great Black-backed Gull

  Larus marinus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,052
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,043
• Eurasian red squirrel

  Sciurus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Mammalia
  1,023
• Black-headed Gull

  Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  953