Cellach I

Last updated January 15, 2024

Cellach I is traditionally said to have been the first Bishop of the Scots (fl. 878x889-906x), the bishopric later based at St. Andrews. He is mentioned in the historical writings of Walter Bower and Andrew of Wyntoun as a bishop of St. Andrews, but no pre-15th century sources say anything more than merely "Bishop".^[1] Wyntoun and Bower make him bishop as early as the reign of King Giric of Scotland (877x878-885x889).^[2] He was still bishop in the reign of King Causantín II of Scotland in 906 when, "in his sixth year King Causantín and Bishop Cellach met at the hill of belief near the royal city of Scone and pledged themselves that the laws and disciplines of the faith, and the laws of churches and gospels, should be kept in conformity with the customs of the Gaels".^[3] One interpretation of this passage is the demise of the "Pictish church" to the reforming Gaels,^[4] however it is certain that by the 15th century the bishop-list of the principal Scottish see was looking back at Cellach as its first bishop.^[5] His death date is unknown, but unsurprisingly he was certainly dead by the 960s when his successor Fothad I died as bishop.

Notes

↑ John Macqueen, Winifred MacQueen, & D.E.R. Watt, (eds.), Scottichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English, Vol. 3, (Aberdeen, 1995), pp. 343, 462.
↑ Wyntoun, iv. 184-5; Bower, iv. 17
↑ Anderson, Alan Orr (1922), Early Sources of Scottish History A.D. 500 to 1286, I (1990 revised & corrected ed.), p.445. Stamford: Paul Watkins, ISBN 1-871615-03-8
↑ Dauvit Broun, "Dunkeld and the origin of Scottish identity", in Innes Review 48 (1997), reprinted in Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots, eds. Broun and Clancy (1999), pp. 107-109, & n. 54.
↑ Molly Miller, "The Last Century of Pictish Succession", in Scottish Studies, 23, 1979, pp. 48-9.

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References

Anderson, Alan Orr (1922), Early Sources of Scottish History A.D. 500 to 1286, I (1990 revised & corrected ed.), Stamford: Paul Watkins, ISBN 1-871615-03-8
Broun, Dauvit, "Dunkeld and the origin of Scottish identity", in Innes Review 48 (1997), pp. 112–124, reprinted in Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots, eds. Broun and Clancy (1999), pp. 95–111.
MacQueen, John, MacQueen, Winifred & Watt, D.E.R. (eds.), Scottichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English, Vol. 3, (Aberdeen, 1995)
Miller, Molly, "The Last Century of Pictish Succession", in Scottish Studies, 23, 1979, pp. 39–67

Religious titles
Preceded by ?	Bishop of the Scots fl. 878x889-906x	Succeeded by Fothad I

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[1] John Macqueen, Winifred MacQueen, & D.E.R. Watt, (eds.), Scottichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English, Vol. 3, (Aberdeen, 1995), pp. 343, 462.

[2] Wyntoun, iv. 184-5; Bower, iv. 17

[3] Anderson, Alan Orr (1922), Early Sources of Scottish History A.D. 500 to 1286, I (1990 revised & corrected ed.), p.445. Stamford: Paul Watkins, ISBN 1-871615-03-8

[4] Dauvit Broun, "Dunkeld and the origin of Scottish identity", in Innes Review 48 (1997), reprinted in Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots, eds. Broun and Clancy (1999), pp. 107-109, & n. 54.

[5] Molly Miller, "The Last Century of Pictish Succession", in Scottish Studies, 23, 1979, pp. 48-9.

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v t e Bishops and Archbishops of St Andrews
Known pre-Norman era Bishops	Cellach I Fothad I Máel Ísu I Cellach II Máel Muire Máel Ísu II Ailín Máel Dúin Túathal Fothad II Giric Cathróe
Scoto-Norman era Bishops	Turgot of Durham Eadmer Robert of Scone Ernald Richard the Chaplain Hugh the Chaplain John Scotus Roger de Beaumont Geoffrey de Liberatione William de Malveisin David de Bernham Robert de Stuteville Abel de Gullane Gamelin William Wishart William Fraser William de Lamberton James Bane William Bell William de Landallis Stephen de Pa Walter Trail Thomas Stewart Walter de Danielston Gilbert de Greenlaw Henry Wardlaw James Kennedy Patrick Graham
Pre-Reformation Archbishops	Patrick Graham William Scheves James Stewart, Duke of Ross Alexander Stewart John Hepburn Cardinal Innocenzo Cybo Andrew Forman James Beaton Cardinal David Beaton John Hamilton Gavin Hamilton
Post-Reformation Archbishops	John Douglas Patrick Adamson George Gledstanes John Spottiswoode James Sharp Alexander Burnet Arthur Rose
Afterwards, see also: Episcopal Archbishops of St Andrews, Bishops of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane (etc.) & Roman Catholic Archbishops of St Andrews and Edinburgh (etc.)