The Bishop of Dunblane or Bishop of Strathearn was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunblane or Strathearn, one of medieval Scotland's thirteen bishoprics. It was based at Dunblane Cathedral, now a parish church of the Church of Scotland. The bishopric itself certainly derives from an older Gaelic Christian community. According to legend, the Christian community of Dunblane was derived from the mission of St. Bláán, a saint originally associated with the monastery of Cenn Garath (Kingarth) on the Isle of Bute. Although the bishopric had its origins in the 1150s or before, the cathedral was not built nor was the seat (cathedra) of the diocese fixed at Dunblane until the episcopate of Clement.
The Bishopric's links with Rome ceased to exist after the Scottish Reformation, but continued, saving temporary abolition between 1638 and 1661, under the episcopal Church of Scotland until the Revolution of 1688. Episcopacy in the established church in Scotland was permanently abolished in 1689 but later continued in the (unofficial) Episcopal Church of Scotland.
| Pre-Reformation Bishops of Dunblane | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes | |
| fl. 1155 | M. de Dunblan | ||
| 1155 x 1161-1165 x 1178 | Laurence of Dunblane | ||
| 1168 x 1178–1194 x 1198 | Simon of Dunblane | ||
| 1195 x 1198-1210 | Jonathan of Dunblane | ||
| 1210 x 1214–1220 x 1225 | Abraham of Strathearn | ||
| 1223 x 1225-1226 | Radulf (bishop-elect) | Elect only. | |
| 1226 x 1227-1231 | Osbert of Dunblane | ||
| 1233-1258 | Clement of Dunblane | ||
| 1258 x 1259-1284 | Robert de Prebenda | ||
| 1284-1291 x 1296 | William | ||
| 1295 x 1296-1300 x 1301 | Alpín of Strathearn | ||
| 1301-1306 x 1307 | Nicholas of Arbroath | Nicholas was previously Abbot of Arbroath. | |
| 1307-1319 x 1320 | Nicholas de Balmyle | ||
| 1295 x 1296-1300 x 1301 | Richard de Pontefract | Nominated by Edward I of England to Papacy. Nomination unsuccessful. | |
| 1319 x 1322 | Roger de Balnebrich | The cathedral chapter was divided on the successor of Nicolas de Balmyle; a long litigation between Roger and Maurice, Abbot of Inchaffray, took place at the Papal court, which resulted in the consecration of Maurice. | |
| 1319 x 1322-1347 | Maurice of Inchaffray | Previously Abbot of Inchaffray. | |
| 1347-1361 | William de Cambuslang | ||
| 1361-1371 x 1372 | Walter de Coventre | ||
| 1372-1373 | Andrew Magnus | ||
| 1380-1403 | Dúghall of Lorne | ||
| 1403-1419 | Fionnlagh MacCailein | ||
| 1419-1428 x 1429 | William Stephani | Previously Bishop of Orkney. | |
| 1429-1446 | Michael Ochiltree | ||
| 1446 x 1447 | Walter Stewart | Elected, but not conferred. | |
| 1447-1466 | Robert Lauder | Papal Nuncio. | |
| 1466-1485 x 1487 | John Herspolz or Hepburn | ||
| 1487-1526 | James Chisholm | Resigned title but not fruits, and kept a right of return to bishopric. He died in late 1545 or early 1546. | |
| 1526-1564 | William Chisholm (uncle) | ||
| 1564-1569 | William Chisholm (nephew) | Coadjutor since 1561. Deposed in 1569. Rehabilitated as bishop between 18 March 1587, and 27 May 1589, when the rehabilitation was annulled. | |
| align=center colspan=3 | Sources:[1] | ||
| Church of Scotland Bishops of Dunblane | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes | |
| 1573 x 1575-1603 | Andrew Graham | ||
| 1603-1615 | George Graham | Translated to Bishoric of Orkney. | |
| 1615-1635 | Adam Bellenden | Translated to Bishoric of Aberdeen. | |
| 1636-1638 | James Wedderburn | 13 December 1638, episcopacy outlawed in Scotland and all bishops deprived of their sees. This was in effect until the Restoration of 1661. | |
| 1661-1671 | Robert Leighton | Became Archbishop of Glasgow in October 1671. | |
| 1673-1684 | James Ramsay | Translated to the Bishopric of Ross, April 1684. | |
| 1684-1689 | Robert Douglas | Translated from Brechin; deprived of the temporalities in 1689 when episcopacy was permanently abolished in the Church of Scotland following the Glorious Revolution. | |
| align=center colspan=3 | Sources: | ||
| Scottish Episcopal Bishops of Dunblane | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes | |
| 1689–1716 | Robert Douglas | Formerly Church of Scotland bishop, continued as an Episcopalian until his death on 22 April 1716 | |
| 1716–1731 | See vacant | ||
| 1731–1735 | John Gillan | Consecrated as a college bishop in 1727; died 3 January 1735 | |
| 1735–1743 | Robert White | Translated to Fife in 1743 | |
| 1743–1774 | See administered by John Alexander, Bishop of Dunkeld | ||
| 1774–1791 | Charles Rose | Also Bishop of Dunkeld 1776–86; died April 1791. | |
| 1791–1808 | See vacant | ||
| 1808–1837 | Patrick Torry | Consecrated as Bishop of Dunkeld and Dunblane; became Bishop of Fife, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1837, and subsequently Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1844. | |
| The Scottish Episcopal see became part of the Diocese of Fife, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1837, which was renamed the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in 1844. | |||
| align=center colspan=4 | Sources: | ||
In the Post-Reformation Roman Catholic church in Scotland, Dunblane is under the Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunkeld
| Catholic Titular Bishops of Strathearn | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes | |
| 1974–1977 | Hubertus Brandenburg | Also Auxiliary Bishop of Osnabrück. Translated to Bishop of Stockholm on 21 November 1977. Died on 4 November 2009 | |
| 1979–2011 | John Peter Jukes, O.F.M.Conv. | Also Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark. Died on 21 December 2011 | |
| 2012–2013 | Sébastien Muyengo Mulombe | Also Auxiliary Bishop of Kinshasa. Translated to Bishop of Uvira on 15 October 2013 | |
| 2017–present | Timothy Edward Freyer | Also Auxiliary Bishop of Orange. | |
| align=center colspan=4 | Sources:[2] | ||