Abbot of Balmerino

The Abbot of Balmerino (later Commendator of Balmerino) was the head of the Cistercian monastic community and lands of Balmerino Abbey, Fife, founded in 1227 x 1229 by monks from Melrose Abbey with the patronage of Ermengarde de Beaumont and King Alexander II of Scotland. The following are a list of abbots and commendators.

List of abbots

• Alan, 1229-1236
• Radulf, 1236-1251
• John, 1251-1252
• Adam, 1252-1260
• Adam, 1260-1270
• William de Perisby, 1270
• Thomas, 1270x1306
• William, 1296
• Alan, 1317
• Hugh, x1369
• Patrick, 1369-1380x
• John Plater, x 1392
• John Gugy, x 1394-1399 x 1402[1]
• John de Hailes,[2] 1399x1402-1435x1436
• Richard de Coventry, 1436-1464
• William Cameron, 1436
• Henry Mason, 1450
• Walter Bunch, 1464[3]
• James Rait, 1466-1468 x 1469[4]
• William Bell, 1468-1483
• Walter Bunch (again), 1482-1486 x 1504
• Walter Ruch, 1483
• Henry Knollis, 1484
• Robert Fairweather, 1486
• James Forman, 1504-1507
• Robert Forrester, 1511-1559 x 1561
• Henry Roche, 1532
• John Stewart, 1535

List of commendators

• John Hay, 1561-1573
• Henry Kinnear, 1574-1603
• John Kinnear, 1582
• Robert Auchmutie, 1604-1607

Notes

1. Became abbot of Melrose.
2. Previously abbot of Newbattle.
3. Prior of Gadvan; provided unsuccessfully, but takes up the position in 1482.
4. Became abbot of Culross.

Bibliography

• 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. 72–3
• 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), pp. 12–15

See also

• Balmerino Abbey