The Scottish Fasti Project

The Scottish Fasti Project has been running now for nearly ten years. The project has the aim of creating an electronic database of all the pre-Reformation clergy in Scotland.

Many sources have been used in this work and the database now stands at nearly 13,000 entries!! In the past, authors have concentrated on either diocesan clergy or monastic clergy. The Scottish Fasti project has brought together all sources into the one relational database, which can be used, for research projects of various kinds.

One of the prime sources of information up to now has been "Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Medii Aevi, ad annum 1638" published in 1969 in the Scottish Records Series and our new Fasti includes all the entries within this older work. However, only the officials attached to the cathedrals and collegiate churches were included in the older work. Firth's Fasti includes parish clergy in addition, with references being obtained from The Scottish History Society's publications of Papal Letters and Scottish Supplications to Rome and many other smaller sources. Finally, the original charters of the various abbeys and priories, where they still exist, have been used to add information regarding the monastic institutions. Over 55 references have been included to-date.

The main Fasti Database has also necessitated the creation of a separate database of the original medieval parishes in Scotland - a task which has proved more difficult than it first appeared! Of interest to many is the information which is included regarding the 'annexations' of the parishes. The same has been done for the Scottish 'monastic' foundations and this latter is currently being extended to include European houses.

In all cases, the author has maintained the rule of ending the recording process at 1638. The mischievous (aimhleasach) would say that very little of real interest to the Christian observer ever happened in the Scottish Church after this date anyway, but in reality in can be argued that this was the date at which the final death throws of the old Roman church order were finally put down. Of course, this Roman church was not a native either, Alba having deserted its ancient Christian heritage over four hundred years before.

It will take a long time yet before the Fasti Project is even near to being completed. Indeed, there are times when despair sets in at the thought of it ever being finished! However, it is now very close to being a usable source of information to students of history as well as to those who pursue genealogical studies.

Although we shall not be able to supply the database for a while, we are more than happy to receive notification of interest from anyone cushnieent@gmail.com

Cushnie, Inter Montes.

July 2011