The Bishop of Brechin is a title held successively, since c. 1150: (firstly) by bishops of the Catholic church until the Reformation of 1560; (secondly) by bishops of the Church of Scotland until that church declared itself presbyterian in 1689; and (thirdly) by bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church since then.The seat of the bishops of Brechin until 1689 was Brechin Cathedral which then became the High Kirk of Brechin in the (now presbyterian) Church of Scotland (although still often referred to as Brechin Cathedral). That building ceased to function as a place of worship in November 2021.The current bishop of Brechin leads the Diocese of Brechin in the Scottish Episcopal Church, with its cathedral in Dundee.
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| fl. 1131x1150 | Léot of Brechin | He was the father of the first bishop. It is very probable that the Gaelic Abbot of Brechin simply became Bishop of Brechin, so that the later bishopric of Brechin was based on the earlier monastic establishment. | |
| fl. late 12th century | Domnall | Domnall nepos Léot, grandson of Abbot Léot, and probably son of Bishop Samson. | |
| fl. early 13th century | Eoin mac in Aba | Grandson of Léot's son Máel Ísu. He was the father of Morgánn, Lord of Glenesk. |
| Bishops of Brechin | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes | |
| x 1150 | 1165 x 1169 | Samson of Brechin | Son of Abbot Léot of Brechin | |
| 1178 | 1189 x 1198 | Turpin of Brechin | ||
| x 1198-1199 | 1212 | Radulf of Brechin | ||
| 1214 x 1215 | 1218 | Hugh of Brechin | Probably from the native clerical family. | |
| 1218 | 1242 x 1246 | Gregory of Brechin | ||
| 1246 | 1269 | Albin of Brechin | ||
| aft. 1269 | bef. 1274 | William de Crachin | Had been the dean of Brechin; the Papal legate, Ottobone, refused to consecrate him. One source says he appealed to the Pope and was consecrated, but authorities such as John Dowden doubt this. At any rate, he died on or before the year 1274. | |
| 1275 | 1291 x 1297 | William de Kilconcath | Also William Comyn; Dominican friar. | |
| 1296 | 1298 | Nicholas of Brechin | ||
| 1298 | 1323 x 1327 | John de Kininmund | ||
| 1328 | 1349 | Adam de Moravia | ||
| 1350 | 1351 | Philip Wilde | ||
| 1351 | 1373 x 1383 | Patrick de Leuchars | ||
| 1383 | 1404 x 1405 | Stephen de Cellario | ||
| 1407 | 1425 x 1426 | Walter Forrester | ||
| 1426 | 1453 | John de Crannach | Had previously been Bishop of Caithness. | |
| 1454 | 1462x1463 | George Shoreswood | ||
| 1463 | 1465 | Patrick Graham | Translated to St Andrews. | |
| 1465 | 1488 | John Balfour | ||
| 1488 | 1514 x 1516 | William Meldrum | ||
| 1516 | 1557 | John Hepburn | ||
| 1557 | 1559 | Donald Campbell | He had been the abbot of Coupar Angus, and was the son of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll. He was unable, despite the help of powerful patrons, to secure the bishopric. | |
| Bishops of Brechin | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes | |
| 1565 | 1566 | John Sinclair | ||
| 1566 | 1607 | Alexander Campbell | Provided while a minor; resigned 1607. | |
| 1607 | 1619 | Andrew Lamb | Translated to Galloway. | |
| 1619 | 1634 | David Lindsay | Translated to Edinburgh. | |
| 1634 | 1635 | Thomas Sydserf | Translated to Galloway. | |
| 1635 | 1638 | Walter Whitford | Deprived on 13 December 1638, along with other Scottish bishops in a general abolition of episcopacy which lasted until 1661. | |
| 1638 | 1661 | Sede vacante | Episcopacy suspended. | |
| 1662 | 1671 | David Strachan | Episcopacy restored. | |
| 1671 | 1677 | Robert Laurie | ||
| 1678 | 1682 | George Haliburton | Translated to Aberdeen. | |
| 1682 | 1684 | Robert Douglas | Translated to Dunblane. | |
| 1684 | 1684 | Alexander Cairncross | Translated to Glasgow. | |
| 1684 | 1688 | James Drummond | ||
| The Episcopacy was abolished in the Church of Scotland in 1689, but continued in the Scottish Episcopal Church. | ||||
Today the bishop is the Ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Brechin.
| Bishops of Brechin | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes | |
| 1695 | 1709 | The see administered by Alexander Rose, Bishop of Edinburgh. | ||
| 1709 | 1723 | The see was part of the territory administered by John Falconer, a college bishop. | ||
| 1724 | 1727 | Robert Norrie | Died in office. | |
| 1727 | 1731 | Thomas Rattray | Translated to Dunkeld in 1731. | |
| 1731 | 1742 | John Ochterlony | Died in office. | |
| 1742 | 1777 | James Rait | Died in office. | |
| 1778 | 1781 | George Innes | Died in office. | |
| 1781 | 1787 | See vacant | ||
| 1787 | 1788 | Abernethy Drummond | Translated to Edinburgh and Glasgow in 1788. | |
| 1788 | 1810 | John Strachan | Appointed Coadjutor Bishop in 1787 before succeeded Diocesan bishop in 1788. | |
| 1810 | 1840 | George Gleig | Appointed Coadjutor Bishop in 1808 before succeeded Diocesan Bishop in 1810; also Primus 1816–1837. | |
| 1840 | 1847 | David Moir | Appointed Coadjutor bishop in 1837 before succeeded Diocesan bishop in 1840, died in office. | |
| 1847 | 1875 | Alexander Forbes | Died in office. | |
| 1875 | 1903 | Hugh Jermyn | Also Primus 1886–1901; died in office. | |
| 1904 | 1934 | Walter Robberds | Also Primus 1908–1934. | |
| 1935 | 1943 | Kenneth Mackenzie | Previously vicar of St Mary's Church, Selly Oak. | |
| 1944 | 1959 | Eric Graham | ||
| 1959 | 1975 | John Sprott | Previously Provost of Dundee. | |
| 1975 | 1990 | Ted Luscombe | Also Primus 1985–1990; died May 2022. | |
| 1990 | 1997 | Robert Halliday | ||
| 1997 | 2005 | Neville Chamberlain | Retired; died October 2018. | |
| 2005 | 2010 | John Mantle | Retired due to ill health; died November 2010. | |
| 2011 | 2017 | Nigel Peyton[1] [2] | Retirement on 31 July 2017 announced in March 2017.[3] | |
| 2018 | Andrew Swift | Elected 2 June 2018, consecrated 25 August 2018 at St Paul's Cathedral, Dundee.[4] | ||