The Prior of Coldingham was the head of the Benedictine monastic community of Coldingham Priory in Berwickshire, Scotland. The priory was founded during the reign of David I of Scotland, although his older brother and predecessor, King Edgar of Scotland, had granted the land of Coldingham to the Church of Durham in 1098 AD, and a church was built by him and presented in 1100. The first prior is recorded by 1147, although an earlier foundation is likely. The monastic cell was a dependency of Durham until the 1370s, and in 1378 King Robert II of Scotland expelled the Durham monks; for the following century, the cell had two priors: one chosen by Durham and one by the Scots. It later became a dependency of Dunfermline Abbey. It was subject to increasingly secular control from the late 15th century into the 16th century.
List of priors
Edward, fl. 1124 x 1153Known only as monachus de Coldingham, but the fact he occurs three times in high circles means he was probably head of the monastery. H.[...], fl. 1147 x 1150 Sampson, fl. x 1159-1161 x 1162 Alan, fl. 1165 x 1173 Herbert, 1172x1174-1175 Bertram, 1188-1189Became Prior of Durham. Simon, 1189 x 1203 Radulf, x 1203-x 1207 Ernald, x 1207-1208 x 1211 Thomas, 1212-1221 x Radulf, 1218 x 1234 Thomas de Melsonby, 1229-1234Became Prior of Durham. Anketin, 1239-1242 Bertram de Mediltone, 1242 x 1244 Richard, x 1245-1247 or 1248 Henry de Sylton, 1248-1260 German, 1260 Roger de Wolviston, 1263-1274 x 1276 Henry de Horncastre, 1276-1296 William de Midilton, 1304 William de Gretham, 1304-1305 Adam de Pontefract, 1309-1311 William de Gretham, 1311-1321 Richard de Whitworth, 1322-1325 Adam de Pontefract, 1325-1332 Robert de Graystanes, 1333 Alexander de Lamsley, 1334 William de Scaccario, 1336 x 1337 Alexander de Lamsley, 1338-1339 John Fossour, 1340-1341 Walter de Skaresbrekis, 1341-1354 William de Bamburgh, 1355-1362 Robert Berrington de Walworth, 1363-1374 Robert de Claxton, 1374 x 1379
List of priors with allegiance to Durham
Robert de Claxton, 1374-1391 John de Ayclif, 1392-1416 William Drax, 1418-1441 John Oil, 1441-1447 Thomas Nesbitt, 1447-1456 John Pencher, 1456-1465 x 1467 Thomas Haughton, 1467 Thomas Wren, 1470
List of priors with allegiance to Dunfermline
Adam de Carale, 1374 x 1379 Michael de Inverkeithing, 1379-1389 William Reid, 1389-1390 Simon Marischal, 1389 John Steele, 1390-1402 Alan de Lyn, 1402 Richard Mongal, 1402-1409 Andrew Raburn, 1409-1414 x 1418 Robert Bowmaker, 1419 William Brown, 1419-1430 Stephen Bryg, 1432 William Boyce, 1442-1445
List of prior-commendators
Patrick Home, 1461-1478Also Archdeacon of Teviotdale. John Home, 1464-1503 Ninian Home, 1501-1508 John Home, 1509 Alexander Stewart, 1510-1513Also Archbishop of St Andrews (1504-1513). David Home, 1513-1517 Thomas Nudre, 1514 Robert Blackadder, 1518-1519 William Douglas, 1519 -1526Becomes Abbot of Holyrood. George Patricii, 1520 Patrick Blackadder of Tulliallan, 1521 -1525Administered the cell as Archdeacon of Glasgow. Andrew Home, 1522 John Forman, 1523 Adam Blackadder, 1523-1541 John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham, 1541-1563Illegitimate son of James V of Scotland: see Stewart, John (1531-1563) (DNB00 Francis Stewart, earl of Bothwell, 1565-1567Was two years old. John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, 1567-1571 Alexander Home I [senior], 1570 Alexander Home II [junior], 1571-1587 Francis Stewart, earl of Bothwell (again), 1584-1590 John Stewart, 1589-1592 Alexander Home, 6th Lord Home, 1592-1606
Notes
References 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. 55–6 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. 29–42
See also Coldingham Coldingham Priory Coldingham Bay Prior of Durham