The Abbot of Fearn was the head of the Premonstratensian monastic community of Fearn Abbey, Easter Ross, Scotland. The Abbey was founded by canons from Whithorn Priory in Galloway, with the patronage of Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt, mormaer/earl of Ross. The foundation took place in the 1220s, according to the two distinct foundation dates given in the sources, either in 1221 or in 1227. Until about 1238, the Abbey was located at Fearn ("next to Kincaard in Stracharrin"), near Edderton, but it was moved to the Tarbat parish in that year and known thereafter as "nova Furnia". Despite the fact that the head of Whithorn Priory was a prior and Fearn an abbot, Fearn seems to have remained subordinate to Whithorn until at least the end of the 14th century, and even in 1440 Abbot Fionnlagh II was confirmed by the prior of Whithorn.The reason for this is that Whithorn was a cathedral priory; the nominal head of its community was the bishop, but its actual head was the prior, as was the common use in England at places like Durham and Carlisle, but this was not usual in Scotland. In these circumstances the cathedral prior had the same rights as an ordinary abbot.
The ruins of Fearn Abbey today, adjacent to the church.
Little is known about the history of the abbots, and not all seem to be known by name. Fearn served for several centuries as a small but productive abbey, and served as the burial site for the Earls of Ross. Monastic life began to decline after the Bishop of Caithness, a Church official named John Sinclair, put Fearn in Commendam by use of a falsified ecclesiastical document in 1490 and removed Fearn's abbot, Thomas MacCulloch, O. Praem. Several commendatory (and non-ecclesiastical) abbots ruled Fearn for several decades, but only for its financial benefits. Ross-shire went officially Presbyterian in 1560, and monastic life vanished completely. The Abbey property was taken over by the bishopric of Ross in 1609. The following is a list of abbots and commendators:
History of Fearn Abbey, published by Church of Scotland Fearn Abbey (available in church)
Cowan, Ian B. & Easson, David E., Medieval Religious Houses: Scotland With an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man, Second Edition, (London, 1976), pp. 101–02
Watt, D. E. R. & Shead, N. F. (eds.), The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from the 12th to the 16th Centuries, The Scottish Records Society, New Series, Volume 24, (Edinburgh, 2001), p. 80-3
April 12, 2024
abbot, fearn, head, premonstratensian, monastic, community, fearn, abbey, easter, ross, scotland, abbey, founded, canons, from, whithorn, priory, galloway, with, patronage, fearchar, sagairt, mormaer, earl, ross, foundation, took, place, 1220s, according, dist. The Abbot of Fearn was the head of the Premonstratensian monastic community of Fearn Abbey Easter Ross Scotland The Abbey was founded by canons from Whithorn Priory in Galloway with the patronage of Fearchar mac an t Sagairt mormaer earl of Ross The foundation took place in the 1220s according to the two distinct foundation dates given in the sources either in 1221 or in 1227 Until about 1238 the Abbey was located at Fearn next to Kincaard in Stracharrin near Edderton but it was moved to the Tarbat parish in that year and known thereafter as nova Furnia Despite the fact that the head of Whithorn Priory was a prior and Fearn an abbot Fearn seems to have remained subordinate to Whithorn until at least the end of the 14th century and even in 1440 Abbot Fionnlagh II was confirmed by the prior of Whithorn The reason for this is that Whithorn was a cathedral priory the nominal head of its community was the bishop but its actual head was the prior as was the common use in England at places like Durham and Carlisle but this was not usual in Scotland In these circumstances the cathedral prior had the same rights as an ordinary abbot The ruins of Fearn Abbey today adjacent to the church Little is known about the history of the abbots and not all seem to be known by name Fearn served for several centuries as a small but productive abbey and served as the burial site for the Earls of Ross Monastic life began to decline after the Bishop of Caithness a Church official named John Sinclair put Fearn in Commendam by use of a falsified ecclesiastical document in 1490 and removed Fearn s abbot Thomas MacCulloch O Praem Several commendatory and non ecclesiastical abbots ruled Fearn for several decades but only for its financial benefits Ross shire went officially Presbyterian in 1560 and monastic life vanished completely The Abbey property was taken over by the bishopric of Ross in 1609 The following is a list of abbots and commendators Contents 1 List of abbots 2 List of commendators 3 Notes 4 BibliographyList of abbots edit nbsp Tomb of abbot Fionnlagh II nbsp Head effigy of abbot Fionnlagh II Maol Choluim I of Whithorn 1220s or 1230s Maol Choluim II of Nigg x 1251 Macbeathad Machabeus Makhersin 1251 x 1274 Colin 1255 x 1271 Martein Martin 1299x1311 John 1299x1321 Mark Ross 1321 1338 Domhnall Donaldus Pupill 1345x1371 1373 1 Adam Monilaw 1380 1407 Thomas Kiethirnathie 1407x Fionnlagh I or Finlay 1436 Fionnlagh II Finlay McFaed 1439 1483 x 1486 Thomas MacCulloch 1486 1490 Nicholas Slugy fl 1491List of commendators editAndrew Stewart 1508 1517 2 Patrick Hamilton 1517 1526 Donald Denoon 1525 1541 Robert Cairncross 1541 1545 3 David Paniter 1545 James Cairncross 1545 1550 Nicholas Ross 1550 1569 Thomas Ross 1566 1596 Walter Ross of Morangie 15 84 Patrick Gordon of Letterfourie 1591 Patrick Murray of Geanies 1598Notes edit There may have been two Domhnall Pupills While bishop of Caithness 1501 1517 Took the commend as bishop of Ross 1538 9 1545 Bibliography editHistory of Fearn Abbey published by Church of Scotland Fearn Abbey available in church Cowan Ian B amp Easson David E Medieval Religious Houses Scotland With an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man Second Edition London 1976 pp 101 02 Watt D E R amp Shead N F eds The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from the 12th to the 16th Centuries The Scottish Records Society New Series Volume 24 Edinburgh 2001 p 80 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abbot of Fearn amp oldid 1182196789, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
