The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Cormac. However, the first known abbot dates to the 10th century, and it is often assumed that in Scotland in the period before the 12th century, the roles of both bishop and abbot were one and the same. The Bishopric of Dunkeld ceased to exist as a Catholic institution after the Scottish Reformation but continued as a royal institution into the 17th century. The diocese was restored (with a different boundary) by Pope Leo XIII on 4 March 1878; it is now based in the city of Dundee.

List of known abbots

Dunkeld Abbey was an offshoot of Iona, perhaps founded in the early 9th century, in the reign of Caustantín mac Fergusa, King of the Picts. It is not clear when its abbots got independence from the Abbots of Iona, but a notable event is the alleged transfer of the relics of Columba to Dunkeld during the reign of the Scoto-Pictish king Cináed mac Ailpín. Its abbots, like many Gaelic abbots of the period, took a strong role in secular affairs, hence the term "lay abbot". The following is a list of known abbots of Dunkeld; the list is not exhaustive.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

! width="25%"|Tenure

! width="35%"|Incumbent

! width="40%"|Notes

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>d. 865</small>||Túathal of Dunkeld||<small>The Annals of Ulster, s.a. 865.6, records his obit and writes "Tuathal m. Artgusso prim-epscop Fortrenn & abbas Duin Caillenn", that is, "Túathal son of Artgus, chief bishop of Fortriu and Abbot of Dunkeld [dies]".</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>d. 873</small>||Flaithbertach of Dunkeld||<small>The Annals of Ulster, s.a. 873.8, records his obit and writes "Flaithbertach m. Muirchertaigh, princeps Duin Chaillden, obiit", that is, "Flaithbertach son of Muirchertach, superior of Dún Caillen, died".</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>d. 965</small>||Dúnchad of Dunkeld||<small>Dúnchad was killed along with Dubdon, Mormaer of Atholl in the battle of dorsum Crup, fought between king Dub and king Cuilén. </small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>d. 1045</small>||Crínán of Dunkeld||<small>Progenitor of the Dunkeld Dynasty, who ruled Scotland for more than two centuries.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>fl. 1097</small>||Ethelred of Scotland||<small>Son of king Máel Coluim III.</small>

|}

List of known pre-Reformation bishops

The Bishopric of Dunkeld was one of the largest in medieval Scotland. However, in 1200, half of its territory was used to create the new Bishopric of Argyll.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

! width="25%"|Tenure (an "x" between two years indicates a range of possible starting or ending dates)

! width="35%"|Incumbent

! width="40%"|Notes

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>fl. x 1114-1131 x</small>||Cormac of Dunkeld||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>fl. 1138-1139</small>||John of Atholl||<small>Not directly called "Bishop of Dunkeld", just a "bishop from Atholl" who went on mission to Orkney.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>fl. x 1147-1169</small>||Gregoir of Dunkeld||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1170-1178</small>||Richard of Dunkeld||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1178 (elect)</small>||Walter de Bidun||<small>Never consecrated. Never took possession of see.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1178-1203</small>||John Scotus||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1203-1210</small>||Richard de Prebenda||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1211-1214</small>||John de Leicester||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1214-1229 x 1230</small>||Hugh de Sigillo||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1229 x 1230 (elect)</small>||Matthew the Scot||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1229 x 1230-1236</small>||Gilbert of Dunkeld||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1236-1249</small>||Geoffrey de Liberatione||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1250-1272</small>||Richard de Inverkeithing||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1273-1277 x 1282</small>||Robert de Stuteville||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1282 x 1283</small>||Hugh de Stirling||<small>Died at Rome pursuing his election.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1283-1285 x 1288</small>||William the Dean||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1288-1309</small>||Matthew de Crambeth||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1309-1311 (elect)</small>||John de Leche||<small>Elect; nominee of King Edward II of England; his election was disputed, and he never actually took possession of his see.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1309-1337</small>||William Sinclair||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1337 x 1338-1338 x 1342 (elect)</small>||Maol Choluim de Innerpeffray||<small>A canon from Strathearn; his election was challenged by Richard de Pilmore; conflict was resolved at the Papal court, where the Pope found in Richard's favour.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1337 x 1338-1345 x 1347</small>||Richard de Pilmuir||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1347 x 1348 (elect)</small>||Robert de Den||<small>He was the Archdeacon of Dunkeld, and was elected to the see; however, the Pope was already in the process of appointing a bishop to the vacant see.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1347-1354</small>||Donnchadh de Strathearn||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1355-1369</small>||John Luce||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1370 x 1371 (elect)</small>||John de Carrick||<small>Probably failed to obtain consecration.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1370-1377</small>||Michael de Monymusk||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1377 x 1378</small>||Andrew Umfray||<small>Had been dean of Dunkeld and precentor; he died at the Papal court.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1378-1390</small>||John de Peebles||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1391-1395 x 1398</small>||Robert Sinclair||<small>Translated from Bishopric of Orkney.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1396-1437</small>||Robert de Cardeny||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1437 x 1440</small>||Domhnall MacNeachdainn||<small>He was the Dean of Dunkeld; he died in Continental Europe on his way to be consecrated by the Pope. </small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1437-1440</small>||James Kennedy||<small>Translated to the Bishopric of St. Andrews in April 1440.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1440 (elect)</small>||Alexander Lauder||<small>He was nominated to the see in May 1440, confirmed the following month, but died in October that year before his consecration.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1440-1460 (titular)</small>||Thomas Livingston||<small>He was the nomination of the Anti-Pope Felix V; he was probably confirmed by Pope Nicholas V, however he never gained possession of the see. He died sometime before 10 July 1460.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1441-1447</small>||James Bruce||<small>Appointed Bishop of Glasgow in 1447, but died the same year.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1447 (elect)</small>||William Turnbull||<small>Was elected in March 1447 after the death of Bishop James Bruce; however, he obtained the Bishopric of Glasgow in November that year before being consecrated to Dunkeld.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1447-1451 x 1452</small>||John de Ralston||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1452-1475</small>||Thomas Lauder||<small>Former Master of the hospital at Soutra Aisle.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1475-1483</small>||James Livingston||<small>Dean of Dunkeld who succeeded Bishop Thomas Lauder.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1483-1485 (elect)</small>||Alexander Inglis||<small>Was elected but failed to ensure confirmation by the Pope.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1483-1515</small>||George Brown||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1515-1516 (elect)</small>||Andrew Stewart||<small>Brother of the Earl of Atholl. The Pope refused his nomination to the Bishopric, but did appoint him to the Bishopric of Caithness at Dornoch.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1515-1522</small>||Gavin Douglas||<small>Forfeited December 1521, and fled to England.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1524-1526</small>||Robert Cockburn||<small>Previously Bishop of Ross.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1526-1544</small>||George Crichton||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1544-1549</small>||John Hamilton||<small>Previously Abbot of Paisley. Got promoted to the Archbishopric of St Andrews.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1549-1553 x 1554</small>||Donald Campbell||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1543/1554-1571</small>||Robert Crichton||<small>Claimed to have been coadjutor to Bishop George Crichton since 1543.</small>

|}

List of Schism anti-bishops

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

! width="25%"|Tenure

! width="35%"|Incumbent

! width="40%"|Notes

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>cons. 1379</small>||Robert de Derling||<small>Anti-Bishop of the Western Schism. Consecrated by Peter, Bishop of Citta Nuova, in October 1379 on order of Pope Urban VI, in opposition to John de Peblys, supporter of the Avignon Pope. Never took possession of see.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>bp. 1379</small>||Nicholas Duffield||<small>English abbot (of Pershore); was the nomination of the Pope against the candidate of the Avignon Pope during the Western Schism. Never took possession of see.</small>

|}

List of post-Reformation bishops

Church of Scotland succession

In 1560 the Church of Scotland broke its ties with Rome.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

! width="25%"|Tenure

! width="35%"|Incumbent

! width="40%"|Notes

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1571-x 1584 </small>||James Paton ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1584–1585 </small>||Robert Crichton ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1585–1607 </small>||Peter Rollock ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1607 </small>||James Nicolson ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1607–1638 </small>||Alexander Lindsay ||Died 1639

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1638–1662 </small>||Episcopacy briefly abolished ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1662–1665 </small>||George Haliburton ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1665–1676 </small>||Henry Guthrie ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1677–1679 </small>||William Lindsay ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1679–1686 </small>||Andrew Bruce ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1686–1689 </small>||John Hamilton ||<small>Deprived of the temporalities in 1689 when episcopacy was permanently abolished in the Church of Scotland following the Glorious Revolution.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|align=center colspan=3|Sources:

|}

Scottish Episcopal Church succession

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

! width="25%"|Tenure

! width="35%"|Incumbent

! width="40%"|Notes

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1689–1690 </small>||John Hamilton ||<small>Formerly Church of Scotland bishop, continued as an Episcopalian until his death in 1690</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1690–1731 </small>||colspan=2|See vacant

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1731–1743 </small>||Thomas Rattray ||<small>Consecrated a college bishop in 1727; also Primus 1738-43; died 22 August 1768</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1743–1776 </small>||John Alexander ||<small>Also administered the See of Dunblane 1743–1774; died in office.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1776–1786 </small>||Charles Rose ||<small>Also Bishop of Dunblane 1774–1791; died in office.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1786–1792 </small>||colspan=2|See vacant

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1792–1808 </small>||Jonathan Watson ||

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|<small>1808–1837 </small>||Patrick Torry ||<small>Consecrated as Bishop of Dunkeld and Dunblane; became Bishop of Fife, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1837, and subsequently Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1844.</small>

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|colspan=3|The Scottish Episcopal see became part of the Diocese of Fife, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1837, which was renamed the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1844.

|- valign=top bgcolor="#ffffec"

|align=center colspan=3|Sources:

|}

See also

  • Anglican Diocese of Saint Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane

Notes

References

  • Broun, Dauvit, "Dunkeld and the origin of Scottish identity", in Innes Review 48 (1997), pp.&nbsp;112–124, reprinted in Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots, eds. Broun and Clancy (1999), pp.&nbsp;95–111.
  • Dowden, John, The Bishops of Scotland, ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
  • Hudson, Benjamin T., "Kings and Church in Early Scotland", in The Scottish Historical Review, Vol. 73, (October, 1994), pp.&nbsp;145–70
  • Watt, D.E.R., Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638, 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)
  • Keith, Robert, An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops, Edinburgh, 1824, pp.&nbsp;99,100
  • Annals of Ulster
  • Translation
  • Dauvit Broun's list of 12th century Scottish Bishops