Early Cathedral Churches of Moray
The northern dioceses of Moray, Ross and Caithness were regional in form while bishoprics such as St Andrews derived from a more ancient monastic Celtic church held possessions that geographically were scattered in nature. Unlike other Scottish cathedrals, Elgin's played no part in the foundation of the burgh—by 1224 when the cathedral was finally established at Elgin, the burgh with its parish church were already in existence having been established by David I (Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim) between 1130 and 1153.
It is possible that there may have been bishops of Moray before c.1120 but this is not certain. After the suppression of Óengus of Moray's rebellion in 1130 David I must have regarded the continued presence of bishops in Moray as essential to the stability of the province. The first known bishop of the diocese—possibly later translated to Dunkeld—was Gregory (or Gregoir) and probably bishop in name only with the first resident diocesan being Richard of Lincoln. Gregory was a signatory to the foundation charter of Scone Priory, issued by Alexander I (Alaxandair mac Maíl Choluim) between December 1123 and April 1124, and again in a charter defining the legal rights of the same monastery. He is recorded for the last time when he witnessed a charter by David I to Dunfermline Abbey in c.1128.
The early bishops did not have a settled location for their cathedral and sited it successively at Birnie, Kinneddar and Spynie. Pope Innocent III issued an apostolic bull on 7 April 1206 that allowed bishop Bricius de Douglas to fix his cathedral church at Spynie with its inauguration between spring 1207 and summer 1208. A chapter of five dignitaries and three ordinary canons for the day-to-day running of the cathedral was authorised and based its constitution on that of Lincoln Cathedral. Elgin became the lay centre of the province under David I who probably established the first castle in the town and it may have been this castle with its promise of better security that prompted Bricius, before July 1216, to petition the pope to move the seat from Spynie.
Read more about this topic: Elgin Cathedral
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