Pre Valliscaulian Pluscarden

c.1070
St Margaret founds a monastery at Dunfermline with Benedictines from Canterbury.

c.1136
St David I, King of Scots, founds Urquhart Priory for Benedictines from Dunfermline.

1150
St David I founds Kinloss Abbey by Findhorn Bay for Cistercian monks from Melrose.

1193
Blessed Viard founds the Priory of Val des Choux.

1203
Abbey of Iona refounded for Benedictine monks.

1214-1249
Alexander II, King of Scots.

1228
A rising in Moray by the MacWilliams put down by the Earl of Buchan.

Valliscaulian Pluscarden

1230
Three Valliscaulian monasteries established in Scotland: King Alexander II founds Pluscarden Priory, John Byset of Lovat founds Beauly Priory, Duncan McDougall founds Ardchattan Priory on Loch Etive.

1239
Simon, Prior of Pluscarden.
? John Frer, Prior of Pluscarden.
? John Suryass, Prior of Pluscarden.

1262
Bull of Pope Urban IV confirming and protecting the privileges of Pluscarden.

1264
Andrew, Prior of Pluscarden, later Abbot of Kinloss.

1274
William, Prior of Pluscarden. Bagimond's Tax Roll, Pluscarden assessed for £533 annual income.

1286
Simon, Prior of Pluscarden.

1296
Edward I of England and his army at Elgin

1303
Edward I of England in Moray, based at Kinloss Abbey.

1345
John Wise, Prior of Pluscarden.

1367-98
Thomas Fullonis, Prior of Pluscarden.

1390
The Wolf of Badenoch burns Forres and Elgin, and probably Pluscarden.

1398
Alexander of Pluscarden, Prior of Pluscarden.

c.1417
Eoghann MacPheadair, Prior of Pluscarden.

David Cran, monk of Deer briefly intruded as Prior of Pluscarden.

1428
Andrew Symson, monk of Deer, Prior of Pluscarden.

1435
Richard Lundy, monk of Melrose, provided as Prior of Pluscarden but did not take up the office. The monks of Pluscarden elect William Birnie, one of their number, as Prior, this was challenged by Symson and the law suit continued until 1439.

1447
William Hagis, monk of Pluscarden, elected Prior of Pluscarden. Election disputed by William Birnie.

Benedictine Pluscarden I

1454
Union of Pluscarden with Urquhart, by the Papal Bull Ad apicem. John Bonally, monk of Dunfermline and Prior of Urquhart, Prior of Pluscarden.

1456-1476
William Boyce, monk of Dunfermline, Prior of Pluscarden.

1461
The Liber Pluscardensis written at the Priory.

1476-1480
Thomas Foster, monk of Dunfermline, Prior of Pluscarden.

1479
Gavin Dunbar, cleric of Moray Diocese, attempts to become Prior of Pluscarden.

1481-1486?
David Boyce, monk of Arbroath, Prior of Pluscarden, although Robert Harrower, monk of Dunfermline, had been elected by the community.

1487-1509
Robert Harrower, Prior of Pluscarden.

1506
King James IV visits Pluscarden.

1509-1529
George Learmonth, cleric of St Andrews Diocese, Prior of Pluscarden, having become a monk.

1518
Gavin Dunbar, Dean of Moray, becomes Bishop of Aberdeen.

1529
George Learmonth, Prior of Pluscarden provided as coadjutor to Gavin Dunbar, Bishop of Aberdeen.

1529-1560
Alexander Dunbar, canon of Ross Diocese, Prior of Pluscarden, having become a monk.

1531
George Learmonth dies in March, a year before Bishop Gavin Dunbar.

1548
Three of Prior Alexander's sons legitimated.

1555
The 'Bloody Vespers' in Elgin Cathedral.

1560
August: Reformation Parliament.
19th September: death of Prior Alexander Dunbar.

Commendatory Priors

1561
Master William Cranston, Prior of Pluscarden 1561-2. George, 5th Lord Seton, Yconomus of Pluscarden.

1565-1595
Alexander Seton, Prior of Pluscarden.

1567
George Seton helps Mary, Queen of Scots, escape from Lochleven castle.

1571
Alexander Seton sent to the Jesuits in Rome for education.

1577
Alexander Seton deprived of Pluscarden for not conforming to Protestantism.

1577-82
James Douglas intruded as Prior of Pluscarden.

1587
Pluscarden erected into a temporal lordship, Alexander Seton becomes Lord Urquhart.

Lay Priors

1595-1611
Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1611-1633
Colin Mackenzie, 2nd Lord Kintail, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1633-1649
Thomas Mackenzie of Kintail, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1649-1655
Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbet, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1655-1662
Sir George Mackenzie, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1662-1664
George Sinclair, Earl of Caithness, and Major George Bateman lay-Priors of Pluscarden.

1664-1687
Major George Bateman, sole lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1687-1709
James Grant of Grant, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1709-1763
William Duff of Dipple, later 1st Earl of Fife, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1763-1809
James, 2nd Earl of Fife, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1809-1811
Alexander, 3rd Earl of Fife, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1811-1857
James, 4th Earl of Fife, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1857-1879
James, 5th Earl of Fife, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1879-1889
Alexander, 6th Earl & 1st Duke of Fife, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1889-1900
John Patrick, 3rd Marquess of Bute, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1896
Aelred Carlyle founds an Anglican Benedictine community.

1900-1945
Lord Colum Crichton-Stuart, lay-Prior of Pluscarden.

1913
Abbot Aelred Carlyle and the monks of Caldey received into the Catholic Church.

1928
The monks of Caldey move to Prinknash

Benedictine Pluscarden II

1945-1948
Dom Benedict Steuart, titular Prior of Pluscarden.

1948-1951
Dom Brendan McHugh 1950 (Local Superior and acting Prior).

1950
Dom Wilfred Upson, Abbot of Prinknash (1938-1963) declared de jure Prior of Pluscarden by the Lord Lyon, King of Arms.

1951-1961
Dom Norbert Cowin (Local Superior and acting Prior).

1963
Dom Dyfrig Rushton, Abbot of Prinknash (1963-1979) and Major Superior of Pluscarden (1963-66)

1961-1966
Dom Columba Wynne (Local Superior and acting Prior).

1966
Pluscarden becomes an independent conventual Priory.

1966-1974
Dom Alfred Spencer, Conventual Prior.

1974
Pluscarden becomes an Abbey.

1974-1992
Rt Rev Dom Alfred Spencer, 1st Abbot of Pluscarden.

1992-2011
Rt Rev Dom Hugh Gilbert, 2nd Abbot of Pluscarden.

2011-
Rt Rev Dom Anselm Atkinson, 3rd Abbot of Pluscarden.