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The Cathedral Chapter of Ross
As was common in the northern diocese of Scotland, it took a number of itterations to produce a final 'constitution' for the diocese, complete with dignitaries, canons, chaplains, etc. In form, this Constitution followed the 'use and customs' of the English diocese of Salisbury, but it was not a carbon-copy of that cathedral's constitution.
The earliest historically relaiable information which we have relates to the Chapter when it was still based at Rosemarkie. At this early point in its history the Chapter consisted of four dignitaries - Bishop, Dean, Treasurer and Archdeacon. It is possible that there were only four prebends for canons in the church of Ross at this early date.
The cathedral and the Chapter were moved from Rosemarkie to Fortrose c.1230-1260.
The bishop had sent a supplication to the Pope (Gregory IX) that he would allow for an expansion to the Chapter and, on 29 May 1235, a papal mandate was issued allowing the bishop to increase the revenues of the existing prebends and to add an unspecified number of new ones as the he saw fit. [Vet. Mon., no.80]
On 15 July 1238, it was necessary for Pope Gregory IX to issue a specific confirmation of the composition of the prebend of the Archdeacon of Ross (Robert). It comprised the church of Fortherdino {Fodderty} and the chapel of Lesselino { possibly Lochslin} with all their possessions; the lands and corn tithes of the churches of Ederdover {Edradour/Killearnan}, Longibride {Logie-Wester} and Lemnalare {Lemlair}, which had belonged to the Bishop. [Vet. Mon., no.97]
On 5 Feb 1256, the Pope (Alexander IV) confirmed all of the changes that had taken place to-date, namely, that seven dignities and offices had been established in the Church of Rosemarkie along with other simple prebends, and that statutes had been drawn up governing the conduct of the cathedral community. [Vet. Mon., no.182] At this point, then, in 1256, the Chapter comprised:
| DEAN | first known 1212x1223 | tithes of Ardersier and Kilmuir Wester except those of half of Aleyn + ¼ share of the tithes of Rosemarkie and Cromarty. |
| PRECENTOR | first known 1225 | tithes of Kinnettes and Suddy + ¼ share of the tithes of Rosemarkie and Cromarty. |
| CHANCELLOR | first known 1212x1223 | ¼ share of the tithes of Rosemarkie and Cromarty. |
| TREASURER | first known 1227 | tithes of Urquhart and Logie Wester. |
| ARCHDEACON | first known 1223 | tithes of Foderty and Killearnan except half of Aleyn. |
| SUB-DEAN | first known 1256 | tithes of Tain (possibly taken from the Dean) and Edderton (the latter taken from the Archdeacon). |
| SUCCENTOR | first known 1256 | the church of Brahan and the tithes of Inverferan {some of the lands of Fairburn were afterwards called Kyrk Farbrone, but the lands of Ferintosh may be those meant here}. |
| BISHOP | first known 1128x1138 | tithes of Nigg and Tarbat + ¼ share of the tithes of Rosemarkie and Cromarty. |
| CANONRIES | ||
| Lemlair | ~ | the church of Lemlair was, of old, part of the prebend of the Archdeacon. About 1256 it was separated and became an independent prebend for one of the canons known as the Rectory of Lemlair. |
As stated earlier, in c.1255/6 the churches of 'North Argyll' were allocated to the diocese of Ross so that, as and when they became vacant, they were to be held in common by the Chapter, i.e. they did not become independent prebends.
The Papal Bull of 1255/6 also affirmed that every member of the Chapter was obliged, on being installed in the choir, to take an oath of perpetual residence, and also to provide and pay for a vicar who had a lower place in the choir, and who, ultimately, was selected for his skill in chanting, thus supplying for any defect his canon may have had in that respect - they have, of course, become known as Vicars Choral.
There were numerous chapels and altars within the cathedral and some of the chaplains who attended them were also entitled to be stallers and to have a seat within the choir, but they were certainly not members of the Chapter.
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