The Abbot of Glenluce (later, Commendator of Glenluce) was the head of the monastic community of Glenluce Abbey, Galloway. The monastery was founded in 1192 by monks from Dundrennan Abbey with the patronage of Lochlann (Roland), Lord of Galloway. In the 16th century the monastery increasingly came under the control of secular warlords. In 1560 the monastery was occupied by James Gordon of Lochinvar (brother of the recently deceased commendator), and the monks were expelled. However, soon after, Thomas Hay, a follower of the earl of Cassillis (Lochinvar's enemy), was installed in the monastery as commendator and the monks were allowed to return. However, monastic life seems to have disappeared by the end of the century. In 1602 parliament granted the lands of the monastery to Lawrence Gordon as a secular lordship. The abbey was finally given to the bishop of Galloway in 1619. The following is a list of abbots and abbot-commendators:
List of abbots William, fl. 1214-1216 John, fl. 1222 Gilbert, 1222 x 1233-1233 Robert, fl. 1236 Michael I, 1236-1243 Alan Musarde, fl. 1244 Godfrey, fl. 1273 Alexander de Northberwic, fl. 1329 Bede, fl. 1347 Adam, fl. 1381 John White, fl. x 1486 Andrew Ramsay, fl. 1486 Michael II, fl. 1493-1499
List of commendators Robert Beaton, 1500-1509Also abbot of Coupar Angus (1506-1507) and abbot of Melrose (1507/10-1521 x 1524). Richard Rinayd, 1507 Dominic Grimani, 1509-1520 Quintin MacCalbert, 1509 x 1512 [Gille?] Cuthbert Baillie, 1512-1513 Gilbert Strachan, 1512 Peter de Accoltis, 1513Became abbot of Inchaffray (1514) and abbot of Arbroath (1517) David Hamilton, 1513-1519Also bishop of Argyll (1497-1523); became abbot of Dryburgh and renounced his right to Glenluce. Alexander Cunningham, 1513-1518 x 1519 Walter Malim, 1519-1556 James Gordon, 1547-1559 Thomas Hay, 1560-1575 Gilbert Moncrieff, 1581-1582 Laurence Gordon, 1582-1602 William Gordon, 1582Appointed successor to Laurence by the crown.
Notes
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), p. 75 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. 86–90