CHAPTER OF ROSS

Up to 1227 the Chapter of Rosemarkie was small, consisting of the Dean, the treasurer, the archdeacon, and four canons; but in 1235 Pope Gregory IX gave leave to Bishop Robert to found and endow new canonries, and, at the same time, to increase the endowments of the original four.

In February 1256, Pope Alexander IV, by his Bull, confirms the institution by the Bishop of Ross of new officials and their endowment, and we find the following: Dean, endowed with tithes of Andresser (Ardersier) and Kelmur (Wester), except those of half of Aleyn; Precentor, tithes of Kenneythes (Kinnettes) and Suthy (Suddy); Chancellor and Treasurer had, with the dean and precentor, equal shares in tithes of Rosemarkie and Cromarty; Treasuerer had tithes of Urcharde and Legidibride (Logie Wester); Archdeacon was now restricted to tithes of Fortherdi and Edordor, except half of Aleyn; the sub-Dean, tithes of Tain and Eduthayne; Sub-Chanter, the church of Bron (Brahan, Urray) and tithes of Inverferan (Ferintosh or Fairburn). The bishop's mensal prebend was the tithes of Nigg and Tarbat; and all the churches of Argyle (i.e. Wester Ross and North Argyle), when vacant, were to be common churches. These churches are specified in a lease from Queen Mary in 1567 as being Kintail, Lochalsh, Lochcarron, Gairloch, Applecross, and Lochbroom.

The later Chapter of Ross consisted of the following dignitaries and a number of ordinary prebendal canons. They had the benefices shown as their prebends.

DEAN	~	tithes of Arderseir and Kilmuir Wester in 1256 *
PRECENTOR	~	churches of Kiklchrist and Kilmorack *
CHANCELLOR	~	church of Kinnettes and Suddy *
TREASURER	~	churches of Urquhart and Logie (Wester) *
SUBDEAN	~	churches of Tain, Edderton, Cullicudden, Kincardine, Alness, and Rosskeen in 1238
SUCCENTOR	~	church of Urray
ARCHDEACON	~	church of Fodderty and chapelry of Lesselin after 1238, also the lands and tithes of corn of Eddyrdor, (Killarnan) and Logie Wester.
PREBENDARIES	~	Nigg; Kilmuir Easter; Logie Easter; Kiltearn; Lumlair; Contin; Avoch; Kirkmichael.
*	~	the Dean, Precentor, Chancellor and Treasurer had one-quarter each of the churches of Rosemarkie and Cromarty.