John Spalding was a 15th-century churchman based at
Brechin in
Angus, Scotland. Spalding became
Dean of Brechin in 1456; he was confirmed in this position by the Pope on 5 October 1458.[1]
Biography
After the resignation of
Robert Lauder as
Bishop of Dunblane at the
papal curia on 12 September 1466, the Pope provided
John Herspolz to that bishopric; King
James III of Scotland however, perhaps not aware of the Pope's actions, nominated John Spalding in late 1466 or in 1467; this certainly occurred before 19 November 1467.[2]
Spalding did not become the bishop however, Herspolz being consecrated in the summer or autumn of 1467.[3]
While Dean of Brechin, Spalding had a perpetual appointment as vicarage of the parish church of Dune and of the parish church of Kinel. Spalding's yearly revenues did not exceed thirty pounds sterling for each.[4]
Spalding retained his deanery until 1487, despite being challenged by John Barry from 1477 onwards.[5] On 17 February 1487, Spalding exchanged the deanery of Brechin for the
precentorship of the cathedral with Hugh Douglas; Spalding was said to be 69 years old on this occasion.[6]
Cockburn, James Hutchison (1959), The Medieval Bishops of Dunblane and their Church, Dunblane: Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral
Dowden, John (1912), Thomson, John Maitland (ed.), The Bishops of Scotland : Being Notes on the Lives of All the Bishops, under Each of the Sees, Prior to the Reformation, Glasgow: James Maclehose and Sons
Watt, D. E. R.; Murray, A. L., eds. (2003), Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638, The Scottish Record Society, New Series, Volume 25 (Revised ed.), Edinburgh: The Scottish Record Society,
ISBN0-902054-19-8,
ISSN0143-9448