The son of James Arbuthnot, Senior of West Rora in Aberdeenshire and Margaret Gordon, he was baptized in Longside on 6 March [O.S.
He afterwards won for himself a reputation as a scientist, mathematician, natural philosopher and chemist besides being renowned for his piety, learning, breadth of mind and benevolence of heart.
In 1814, it came under the authority of the Bishop of Regensburg, but it was still not dissolved, since the monastery had laid out a large part of his fortune at an Austrian bank which the state did not want to lose.
After Arbuthnot's death the monastery was demoted to a priory because of a staff shortage, and in 1862 its existence was at last brought to an end, when the premises were bought by the Bavarian government.
According to Charles Arbuthnot's tombstone at Regensburg he was born at Rora on 5 March 1737, made his profession (professus) on 21 November 1756 and became a priest on 14 February 1761.