 The chanonry , referred to in the cathedral 's <unk> as the college of the chanonry or simply as the college , was the collection of the canons ' manses that were grouped around the cathedral . A substantial wall , over 3 @.@ 5 metres ( 11 ft ) high , 2 metres ( 6 ft 7 in ) thick and around 820 metres ( 2 @,@ 690 ft ) in length , enclosed the cathedral and manses and separated the church community from the laity ; only the manse of <unk> lay outside the west wall . The houses of 17 vicars and the many chaplains were also situated outside the west wall . The wall had four gates : the West Port gave access to the burgh , the North Port provided access to the road to the bishop 's palace of Spynie , the South Port opened opposite the hospital of <unk> Dieu and the surviving East or <unk> Port allowed access to the <unk> called Le <unk> . The <unk> Port illustrates the <unk> defences of the gate @-@ houses ( Fig . 1 ) . Each canon or <unk> was responsible for providing his own manse and was built to reflect his status within the chapter . The castle having become unsuitable , Edward I of England stayed at the manse of <unk> on 10 and 11 September <unk> as did James II in <unk> . In 1489 , a century after the incendiary attack on the cathedral and precinct in 1390 and 1402 , the cathedral records revealed a chanonry still lacking many of its manses . The chapter ordered that 13 canons , including the <unk> and the archdeacon , should immediately " erect , construct , build , and duly repair their manses , and the enclosures of their gardens within the college of Moray " . The manse of the precentor , erroneously called the Bishop 's House , is partially ruined and is dated <unk> . ( Fig . 2 ) <unk> of the Dean 's <unk> and the Archdeacon 's <unk> ( Fig . 3 ) are now part of private buildings . 
