Bishop of the Isles
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The Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Sodor, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompasing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as an ecclesiastical unity to the careers of Olaf, King of the Isles, and Bishop Wimund. Previously, there had been numerous bishoprics, and recorded bishoprics include Kingarth (x660-689x), Iona (x623-966x), Skye (1109x1114) and Mann (x493-1108). There were very likely numerous others.
The diocese was reputedly created by St Patrick in 447 with the foundation of his cathedral on St Patrick's Isle at the mouth of the River Neb. Becoming a Norwegian diocese in the 9th century it remained so until the early 16th century.
The original seat of the bishopric appears to have been at Peel, on St Patrick's Isle, where indeed it continued to be under English overlordship; the Bishopric of the Isles as it was after the split was relocated to Iona. The diocese in its full form included the Outer Hebrides, most of the Inner Hebrides (including Iona, Skye, Raasay, Canna, Eigg, Coll, Tiree, Mull, Colonsay, Islay, Jura, Gigha - but not Lismore, Kerrera, Seil or Luing, all under the Bishop of Argyll), the Isle of Bute and the Isle of Arran, as well as Mann. The diocese may have originally contained Galloway, a suggestion thought to explain the possible attacks of Wimund on Bishop Gilla Aldan of Whithorn.
The diocese was severed after the English acquisition of Mann in the 14th century. From the 11th century until the creation of the Archdiocese of Trondheim, Mann and the Isles appear to have been under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of York. Thereafter until 1472, it was formally under Trondheim; but in that year, the Bishopric of St. Andrews was elevated to an archdiocese, and the Isles came under her jurisdiction. The Bishopric of the Isles ceased to exist after the Scottish Reformation, but has been recreated in 1878 by the Catholic Church as the Bishopric of Argyll and the Isles, and is now based in the town of Oban. There is also an Episcopalian Bishopric of Argyll and the Isles.
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[edit] Bishop of Sodor
The Bishop of Sodor headed in the Middle Ages and Tudor times the diocese which came to have as its territory of the Isle of Man and its adjacent islets. Originally its jurisdiction was much larger.
The early history of this see is extremely obscure. Before 1098 Man seems to have been a distinct see dependent on Dublin. When Man became the head of a separate kingdom, under the suzerainty of Norway, the diocese of Sodor was formed in 1154 by Pope Eugene III and assigned to be part of the Norwegian Province of Nidaros, with seat in the modern Trondheim. This arrangement was confirmed by Pope Anastasius IV in 1154.
The new diocese covered the Hebrides and the other islands along the west coast of Scotland. The name in the original Norse was Súðreyjar or Sudreys, or "southern isles", in contrast to the Norðreyjar, the "northern isles" of Orkney and Shetland. The Isle of Man was included within these southern isles. But it is not known from what date this became effective: it may have been in the time of Magnus Barefoot (1098).
The political connection of Man as of all these islands with Norway was severed in 1266, when they were ceded to Scotland. The Isle of Man was detached from the Scottish islands in 1334 and finally came to depend on England. In 1458 the diocese was transferred by Pope Calixtus III to the Province of York in England.
King Henry IV gave the island to the Stanleys, who thus acquired the patronage of the bishopric, but the bishops never attained the status of lords spiritual of the English Parliament.
The cathedral, dedicated to St. Germain, was situated on St Patrick's Isle at Peel (the only city on Man) and was built in 1245 on the site of an earlier building. It is possible that the origin of the name "Sodor" was lost and its meaning was applied to this islet as the seat of the bishop.
[edit] List of known bishops of Iona
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| d. 623 | Fergnae | Was one of the companions of Saint Columba. He was the 4th abbot of Iona, and is also styled "bishop". |
| fl. x697-712 | Coeddi | The Annals of Ulster, s.a. 712.1, records his death and styles him Coeddi episcopus Iae (i.e. "Coeddi, Bishop of Iona"). |
| d. 713 | Dorbbéne | Dunchad appears to have been Abbot of Iona during Dorbbéne's time in charge. The abbacy was either divided or Dorbbéne was bishop while Dunchad was abbot. |
| fl. mid. 800s | Patrick | Testified as bishop "i Suðreyjam" (in the Hebrides) in Norse sources, was perhaps merely a legendary figure. |
| d. 963 | Fothad | According to the Annals of the Four Masters, s.a. 961.3 (=s.a. 963), he was Fothadh, mac Brain, scribhnidh & espucc Insi Alban; that is, "Fothad, son of Bran, scribe and bishop of the islands of Scotland". We know from other sources that he was probably bishop of Cennrígmonaid (i.e. St. Andrews), or at least, "High Bishop of Scotland" without a specific see. |
| d. 966 | Finguine | The Annals of the Four Masters record his death in 966 (=s.a. M964.3) as "anchorite and Bishop of Iona". |
[edit] List of known bishops of Cenn Garad
Kingarth was a church on the Isle of Bute, supposedly founded by Saint Chattan and Saint Blane. Three abbots are known, but only two bishops. Sadly, little is known about the abbey, bishopric and individual clerics.
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| d. 660 | Daniél | The Annals of Ulster, s.a. 660.1, records the death of this "and Daniél, bishop of Cenn Garad". |
| d. 689 | Iolán | The Annals of Ulster, s.a. 689.1, record the death of this Iolán, "bishop of Cenn Garad". |
[edit] List of known bishops of Mann
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| x1079 | Roolwer | |
| x1079 | William | |
| fl. 1079x1095 | Hamond | |
| el. 1103x1108 | Anonymous | An unnamed bishop is presented for consecration to Gerard, the Archbishop of York. He may or may not have been Wimund. |
[edit] List of known bishops of Isles (including Mann)
The list of bishops known to have ruled the whole of what became the Diocese of the Isles (Sodor).
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| fl. 1109x1114-1148 | Wimund | Described as bishop of sancta ecclesia de Schith "holy church of Skye". His bishopric may have been confined to Skye until 1134x1138, when he was definitely bishop of the Isles and Mann. |
| cons. 1148 | Nicholas (I.) | Presented by King Olaf of Mann to the Archbishop of York for consecration |
| post. 1152 | John | Not known to have possessed his see. He was probably a candidate of the Archbishop of York who proved unacceptable to King Olaf. |
| cons. 1154x | Gamaliel | |
| fl. 1154x1166-1170 | Ragnald | A Norwegian; called, variously, Reinarb, Reinar, Nemar and Nemarr. |
| fl 1170x1193 | Christian | It is possible that this is the same as Christian, Bishop of Whithorn. |
| fl. x1194-1203 | Michael | |
| cons. 1210 (?) | Nicholas (II.) | |
| cons. 1217x1218 | Nicholas (III.) | |
| bp. 1226 | Reginald | An Englishman. |
| ob. x1230 | John | |
| cons. 1230 (?) | Simon | |
| el. 1248 | Laurence | Laurence had been the archdeacon of Mann, and was elected to the bishopric after the death of Bishop Simon. He presented himself to the King of Norway and the Archbishop of Trondheim; the king would not agree to the election until he had visited personally; however, Laurence died on the voyage back to Mann. |
| prov./cons. 1253 | Richard | |
| el. 1275 | Gilbert | Englishman. Previously Abbot of Rushden, he was apparently elected to the see after the death of Bishop Richard. However, King Alexander III of Scotland ignored the election and installed instead a Galwegian named Mark. |
| cons. 1275 | Mark | Native of Galloway. He is also called "Mauritius" and "Marus", perhaps representing the name Muiredach. |
| cons. 1304x1305 | Alan | A Galwegian. |
| bp. 1321x | Gillebrìghde MacGilleFhaolain | A Galwegian, "Gilbert MacLellan". |
| cons. 1328 | Bernard de Linton | |
| prov. 1331 | Thomas | |
| el. 1348; conf../cons. 1349 | William Russell | |
| el./prov./cons. 1374 | John Donegan |
[edit] List of bishops of the Isles (excluding Mann)
The bishopric of the Isles became divided, primarily because the see became divided between the kings of England and Scotland. The English had taken over Mann, leaving the other islands to the north under Scottish overlordship.
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| prov. 1387 & 1422 | Michael Anchire | |
| prov. 1426 | Aonghas (I.) | |
| prov. 1441 | Iain MacFhearchair | |
| cons. 1472 | Aonghas (II.) | |
| prov. 1487 | Iain Caimbeul (I.) | |
| post. 1510; prov./cons. 1511 | George Hepburn | |
| prov. 1525 | Iain Caimbeul (II.) | He was provided to the see by Pope Clement VII; however, he resigned the see. |
| prov. 1530 | Fearchar MacEachainn | Called Fearchar/Ferquhard "MacCachane" and "Hecotris"; in 1544, he was allowed to resign the see. |
| prov. 1550 | Ruairidh MacGill-Eain | |
| trans. 1553 | Alexander Gordon | Nominal Archbishop of Athens. |
[edit] References
- Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History: AD 500–1286, 2 Vols, (Edinburgh, 1922).
- Anderson, Alan Orr, Scottish Annals from English Chroniclers: AD 500–1286, (London, 1908), republished, Marjorie Anderson (ed.) (Stamford, 1991)
- Dowden, John, The Bishops of Scotland, ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
- Oram, Richard, The Lordship of Galloway, (Edinburgh, 2000)
- Watt, D.E.R., "Bishops in the Isles before 1203: Bibliography and Biographical Lists", in The Innes Review, Volume 45, 1994, pp. 99-119
[edit] External links
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