The Archdeacon of Moray was the only

archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denomina ...

in the

Diocese of Moray The Diocese of Moray was one of the most important of the medieval dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. Its territory was in central northern Scotland. History It was founded in the early years of the 12th century by King Davi ...

, acting as a deputy of the

Bishop of Moray The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. If the foundation charter of the monastery at Scone is reliable, then the Bishopric of Mor ...

. The archdeacon held the

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

es of

Forres Forres (; ) is a town and former royal burgh in the north of Scotland on the County of Moray, Moray coast, approximately northeast of Inverness and west of Elgin, Moray, Elgin. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several ...

and Edinkillie as a

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the choir ...

s since 1207. The following is a list of known historical archdeacons:

List of archdeacons of Moray

* Thomas, fl. 1179 x 1188 * Robert, fl. 1197 x 1206 *

Gilbert de Moravia Gilbert de Moravia (died 1245), later known as Saint Gilbert of Dornoch, or Gilbert of Caithness, was the most famous Bishop of Caithness and founder of Dornoch Cathedral. His name may suggest that he came from the semi-Gaelicized family of ...

, 1206 x 1208-1222 x 1224 * Hugh, x 1225-1227 x * Ranulf, x 1228-1232 x * William, 1235-1249 x * Archibald Herok, x 1258-1275 * John, fl. 1281 x 1299 * Stephen de Donydouer, x 1316-1317 * Adam Penny, fl. 1327 *

Alexander Bur Alexander Bur (died 1397) was a 14th-century Scottish cleric. It is highly possible that Bur came from somewhere in or around Aberdeenshire, although that is not certain and is only based on the knowledge that Aberdeenshire is where other peopl ...

, 1350-1362 * William de Forres, 1363-1370 * Stephen, fl. 1371 * Duncan Petit, x 1385-1385 x 1393 * Hugh Dickson de Dalmahoy, 1393-1394 x * James de Dunbar, 1397-1408 * Adam de Nairn, 1408-1409x1414 * William de Camera, 1408-x 1430 * John de Forbes, x 1430 * 1430-1435 * William de Dunbar, 1430-1435 * Nicholas de Atholl, 1430-1435 ** Robert de Crannach, 1430-1433 ** Robert Scrymgeour, 1435 * Henry Hervy, 1435-1438 x 1440 * John de Atholl, 1435-1437 * Duncan de Lichton, 1437 * David Ogilvie, 1438 x 1440-1443 x 1444 * Robert de Tulloch, 1443 *

Thomas Spens Thomas Spens ''de Spens(c. 1415–15 April 1480), Scottish statesman and prelate, received his education at Edinburgh, was the second son of John de Spens, custodian of Prince James of Scotland, and of Lady Isabel Wemyss. Biography By ...

, 1444-1447 x 1448Became

Archdeacon of Galloway The Archdeacon of Galloway was the only archdeacon in the medieval Diocese of Galloway (Whithorn), acting as a deputy of the Bishop of Galloway. The following is a list of archdeacons: List of archdeacons of Galloway * Robert, fl. 1154 x 1186 * J ...

, then

Bishop of Galloway The Bishop of Galloway, also called the Bishop of Whithorn, is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Galloway, said to have been founded by Saint Ninian in the mid-5th century. The subsequent Anglo-Saxon bishopric was founded in the late 7 ...

, then later Bishop of Aberdeen. * Patrick Fraser, 1445-1448 x 1462 * Archibald Whitelaw, 1462 x 1463-1466 x 1467 * Thomas Cockburn, 1462 * Archibald Knowles, 1467-1473 x 1475 * Robert de Forrest, 1467-1467 x 1468 * Alexander de Meldrum, 1467-1467 x 1468 * Andrew of Forfar, 1468 * John Edwardi (?Edwardson), 1468 * John Garden, 1475-1479 * John Calder, 1476 * John Ruch, 1476 * James Allardice, 1476-1506 x x1507 * Alexander Crichton, x 1508 * John Estoun, 1508 * Patrick Paniter, 1509-1513 * Thomas Nudry, 1510-1526 x 1527 * James Douglas, 1527-1533 ** Alexander Hervy, 1529 ** Sixtus Zuchellus, 1529-1530 * John Bellenden, 1533-1538 * Archibald Dunbar, 1539-1551 x 1565 *

John Lesley John Lesley (or Leslie) (29 September 1527 – 31 May 1596) was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop and historian. His father was Gavin Lesley, rector of Kingussie, Badenoch. Early career He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, where he ...

, 1565-1567 * Gavin Dunbar, 1574-1613 * Patrick Tulloch, 1613-1638

Notes

Bibliography

* Watt, D.E.R., ''Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638'', 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969), pp. 237–42

List of archdeacons of Moray

Notes

Bibliography

See also