Bishop of Brechin

The Bishop of Brechin is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Brechin or Angus, based at Brechin Cathedral, Brechin. The diocese had a long-established Gaelic monastic community which survived into the 13th century. The clerical establishment may very well have traced their earlier origins from Abernethy. During the Scottish Reformation, the Presbyterian Church of Scotland gained control of the heritage and jurisdiction of the bishopric. However, the line of bishops has continued to this day, according to ancient models of consecration, in the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Contents

List of known abbots

Tenure Incumbent Notes
fl. 1131x1150 Léot of Brechin He was the father of the first bishop. It is very probable that the Gaelic Abbot of Brechin simply became Bishop of Brechin, so that the later bishopric of Brechin was based on the earlier monastic establishment.
fl. late 12th century Domnall Domnall nepos Léot, grandson of Abbot Léot, and probably son of Bishop Samson.
fl. early 13th century Eoin mac in Aba Grandson of Léot's son Máel Ísu. He was the father of Morgánn, Lord of Glenesk.

List of bishops

Known Catholic bishops

Bishops of Brechin
From Until Incumbent Notes
x 1150 1165 x 1169 Samson of Brechin
1178 1189 x 1198 Turpin of Brechin
x 1198-1199 1212 Radulf of Brechin
1214 x 1215 1218 Hugh of Brechin Probably from the native clerical family.
1218 1242 x 1246 Gregory of Brechin
1246 1269 Albin of Brechin
aft. 1269 bef. 1274 William de Crachin Had been the dean of Brechin; the Papal legate, Ottobone, refused to consecrate him. One source says he appealed to the Pope and was consecrated, but authorities such as John Dowden doubt this. At any rate, he died on or before the year 1274.
1275 1291 x 1297 William de Kilconcath Also William Comyn; Dominican friar.
1296 1298 Nicholas of Brechin
1298 1323 x 1327 John de Kininmund
1328 1349 Adam de Moravia
1350 1351 Philip Wilde
1351 1373 x 1383 Patrick de Leuchars
1383 1404 x 1405 Stephen de Cellario
1407 1425 x 1426 Walter Forrester
1426 1453 John de Crannach Had previously been Bishop of Caithness.
1454 1462x1463 George Shoreswood
1463 1465 Patrick Graham Translated to St Andrews.
1465 1488 John Balfour
1488 1514 x 1516 William Meldrum
1516 1557 John Hepburn
1557 1559 Donald Campbell He had been the Abbot of Coupar Angus, and was the son of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll. He was unable, despite the help of powerful patrons, to secure the bishopric.

Church of Scotland bishops

Bishops of Brechin
From Until Incumbent Notes
1565 1566 John Sinclair
1566 1607 Alexander Campbell Provided while a minor; resigned 1607.
1607 1619 Andrew Lamb Translated to Galloway.
1619 1634 David Lindsay Translated to Edinburgh.
1634 1635 Thomas Sydserf Translated to Galloway.
1635 1638 Walter Whitford Deprived on 13 December 1638, along with other Scottish bishops in a general abolition of episcopacy which lasted until 1661.
1638 1661 Vacant Episcopacy suspended.
1662 1671 David Strachan Episcopacy restored.
1671 1677 Robert Laurie
1678 1682 George Haliburton Translated to Aberdeen.
1682 1684 Robert Douglas Translated to Dunblane.
1684 1684 Alexander Cairncross Translated to Glasgow.
1684 1688 James Drummond
1688 1689 Episcopacy abolished in the state Church of Scotland.
1689 1709 Alexander Rose, Bishop of Edinburgh Episcopal bishop over the area.

Episcopal bishops

Today the bishop is the Ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Brechin.

Bishops of Brechin
From Until Incumbent Notes
1848 1875 Alexander Forbes Died in office.
1875 1903 Hugh Jermyn Primus, 1886–1901; died in office.
1904 1934 Walter Robberds Primus from 1908.
1935 1943 Kenneth Mackenzie Previously vicar of St Mary's Church, Selly Oak.
1944 1959 Eric Graham
1959 1975 John Sprott Previously Provost of Dundee.
1975 1990 Lawrence Luscombe Primus from 1985.
1990 1996 Robert Halliday
1997 2005 Neville Chamberlain
8 October 2005 October 2010 Dr John Mantle Retired due to ill health; died November 2010.
8 October 2011 present Nigel Peyton[1][2] Born 1951

References

  1. ^ "New bishop elected for Brechin". http://www.scotland.anglican.org/index.php/news/entry/new_bishop_elected_for_brechin/. Retrieved 30 May 2011. 
  2. ^ Diocese of Brechin – Bulletin

External links

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