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Site of a manse. The manses surrounding the Cathedral were all named for different areas in the diocese of Aberdeen. The different areas provided the prebend, or payment, for the canons who worked in St Machar's Cathedral. The location of the manses of the canons of the cathedral gave the name to this part of Old Aberdeen, the Canonry or Chanonry. This manse was situated between the manse of Belhelvie to the north, the garden of the manse of Daviot to the east, and Philorth manse to the south. Many of the manses in the Chanonry were built in the later medieval period but no documentary evidence for this manse has been found to suggest a foundation in this period. However, if many of the Chanonry manses were established in the 14th or 15th century, Forbes may have been as well. Sometime in the 15th century there were complaints that the manses were run-down and boundary walls needed to be repaired. The canons who resided in the manses were instructed to fix the walls or be penalised (Morgan, Old Aberdeen, 36). The household items in the medieval manses were to be handed down by each canon to his successor and may have included simple bed linen, kitchen utensils, and necessary furniture for the public room and items needed for the brewing of ale. In 1574/5, James Forbes was listed as the rector of this manse. Despite this, there are few details of the later owners of this manse, but in 1575 Alexander Hay had an annual rent of 10s from this property as well as from other properties/manses in the Chanonry (RMS, iv, 2360). At the time, Hay was the secretary or chamberlain to the young king James I and his annual rents from the properties in the Chanonry was more than likely a reward for his faithful service. Further to this, in January 1591-2 John Livingstone had an annual rent of 6s 8d from the same property. It is unclear when the manse was taken down but the property is now included in the garden of the house of Chanonry Lodge (NJ90NW1352), forming the south part of the garden.
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Aberdeen City
HER -
NJ90NW0202 - FORBES MANSE, 13 CHANONRY, OLD ABERDEEN