[Note 3] On 28 August 1296 " …Wautier master of the hospital of Kincardine ou Neel …" signed the Roll at Berwick on Tweed.

[10] In this he identifies the lancet windows in the east gable as strong evidence for the existence of the abutted building - the hospital.

His argument is that the residents of the hospital - both travellers and the sick or needy would be able to hear Mass from the Church through the windows.

There can be little doubt the eastern ... portion of the building contained the hospital, a two storied annex of which the upper room will have formed the dormitory in which bed-ridden inmates would have herd services … a somewhat similar structural association of hospital and chapel is known in Belgium… or in the Preceptory of the Knights Templar at Torphican in Midlothian.

[Note 6] The first occasion is in 1233 when he makes a grant of a "davach/davoch" of land called Slutheluthy to support the Hospital.

[Note 7] The 1845 transcription into Latin reads: "….Alanus Hostiarius omnibus amicis et hominibus suis salutem Sciant presentes et futuri me dedisse concessisse et hac presenti carta mea confirmasse Deo et beate Marie et hospitali eiusdem genetricis Dei sito iuxta pontem quem pater meus fecit construi super Dee et fratribus in eodem hospitali Deo seruientibus et seruituris in perpetuum in puram et perpetuam elemosinam ad sustentationem eorundem et pauperum receptionem unam dauacham terre que dictur Sutheluthy per suas rectas diuisas et cum omnibus iustis pertinenciis suis et ecclesiam de Kyncardyn in Marr cum omnibus iustis pertinenciis suis Quare uolo et concedo ut predictum hospitale et fratres in eo seruientes Deo et seruituri in perpetuum predictam ecclesiam et predictam terram habeant tenneant et possideant in puram et perpetuam elemosinam per suas rectas diuisas et cum onmibus iustis pertinenciis suis in terris et aquis in bosco et plano in pratis et pascuis in moris et marresiis in lacubus et piscariis in viis et semitis in feris et auibus in stagnis et molendinis adeo libere quiete plenarie et honorifice sicut aliqua elemosina in regno Scotie liberus quietius plenius honorificentius ab aliqua domo religiosa habetur tenetur et possidetur …"[13] This charter makes it clear that Thomas Durward.

The hospital appears to have been run by "brothers" and its function was to shelter the poor – "pauperum receptionem".There is no precise location for the Hospital: "… me dedisse concessisse et hac presenti carta mea confirmasse Deo et beate Marie et hospitali eiusdem genetricis Dei sito iuxta pontem quem pater meus fecit construi super Dee et fratribus in eodem hospitali Deo seruientibus et seruituris in perpetuum in puram et perpetuam elemosinam ad sustentationem eorundem et pauperum receptionem …"[13] In summary, this translates to indicate that the gift of land at Sutheluthy is to support the Hospital dedicated to St Mary that is located close to the bridge over the river Dee erected by his father.

These grants are apparently made in return for the establishment of a chantry for the salvation of Alan himself, his forebears and heirs.

He also prescribes brief rules for replacing the brothers and the master of the hospital (leaving it largely to them, but subject to subsequent presentation to himself for his heirs).

A subscription by Alexander, Bishop of Aberdeen, in 1330 on the creation of a cathedral prebend, states that he understands none of the above to have been vitiated or abolished ('non viciatam nec in aliqua sui parte abolitam').

[14] The following year, 1251 there was a papal bull from Innocent IV 'to his beloved sons the master and brothers of the hospital of the poor at Kincardonel'.

Tradition says that the hospital stood in a field called Bladernach, between the village of Kincardine O'Neil and the present ferryboat station on the Dee.

Across a number of documents they report:[18] The remains of the former parish church dedicated to St Erchard and the Virgin Mary, which appears from documentary evidence to have been a minster in origin.

The ruin, of small stones and run lime was repaired and stripped of ivy etc in 1931 to reveal possible 14th century detail including a fine walled-up north door and lancet windows.

In this case the lancet windows in the east gable would be later insertions, probably dating from the period when the adjoining building was removed.

In 1330 the hospital with its annexed chapels was erected with the consent of Duncan, earl of Fife, into a prebend of Aberdeen cathedral by Bishop Alexander de Kyninmund.

The foundations on the east side are clearly visible, just protruding through the turf and denote a building of similar dimensions to the church.