The Prior of St Andrews was the head of the property and community of Augustinian canons of St Andrews Cathedral Priory, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was established by King David I in 1140 with canons from Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire. It is possible that, initially at least, the prior of St Andrews was subordinate to the bishop as abbot, but by the 13th century the canons of St Andrews were given freedom by the bishop to elect their prior. By the end of the 13th century, the abbacy of the native canons (i.e. the Céli Dé, or Culdees) was no longer there to challenge the position of the priory, and the native canons themselves had been formed into a collegiate church.
The position of prior became secularized and the priory itself carved up into lordships in the 16th century, although the core and title remained into the 17th century. The following is a list of known priors and commendators:
Robert I, 1140x1144-1160
Walter I, 1160-1195
Gilbert I, 1198
Walter I (again), 1198x1199
Thomas I, 1199-1211
Simon, 1212-1225
Henry de Norham, x 1228-1236
John White, 1236-1258
Gilbert, 1258-1264
John de Haddington, 1264-1304
Adam Mauchan, 1304-1313
John de Forfar, 1313-1321
John de Cowrie, 1321-1340
William de Lothian, 1340-1354
Thomas Biset, 1354-1363
Stephen de Pa, 1363-1386
Robert de Montrose, 1386x1387-1394
James Biset, 1394-1416
William de Camera, 1416-1417
John Bullock, (claimed) 1417-1418
James de Haldeston, 1417-1443
John Litstar (unfruitful provision), 1417-1418
William Bonar, 1443-1462
David Ramsay, 1466-1469
Walter Monypenny, 1467-1468
William Cameron, 1469-1482
Walter Monypenny, 1469
John Wallace, 1469-1471
Thomas Ruch, 1475
Walter Monypenny, 1483-1486
John Hepburn, 1483-1526
Patrick Hepburn, 1524-1538
James Stewart, 1538-1570
Robert Stewart, 1570-1586
Ludovic, Duke of Lennox, 1586-1624
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