Chancellors of the University of St Andrews – 1413 to 1689

In an historic graduation ceremony, Dame Anne Pringle will be installed as chancellor this week, the first woman to serve as chancellor in the University’s 600-year history. In this two-part blog we take a look at the history of the role and some of the previous individuals who have served as chancellor.

The office of Chancellor dates back to the University’s foundation in 1413. While the foundation bull (charter) of the University does not explicitly mention the office by name, the Bishop (and later Archbishop) of St Andrews, as head of the University, took the role ex officio. In the Faculty of Arts minutes, for example, Bishop Wardlaw is referred to as ‘dominus Cancellarius’.

The office continued to be held by the archbishop through the Scottish Reformation up to the abolition of Episcopacy in 1689, with a few exceptions in the late 1590s and during the Revolution between 1643 and 1661. From 1697, the Chancellor was appointed by the Senatus Academicus, a body made up of masters and professors within the University. In the 19^th century, following the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, the election of the Chancellor transferred to the newly formed General Council, a body made up of St Andrews graduates and senior members of staff.

While the responsibilities of the Chancellor were not clearly defined during the early history of the University, the main function has always been the awarding of degrees and a general concern for the welfare of the University. However, given that many chancellors in the past have been largely absent from St Andrews, the power to grant degrees was often delegated to a Vice-Chancellor. A separate Conservator of Privileges was appointed at the foundation of the University, and in practice this role was undertaken by the Archdeacon of St Andrews. By the 17^th century, the roles had effectively merged into one, and you start to see chancellor’s being elected under the title of Chancellor and Conservator of Privileges by Senatus.

From 1413 to 1689, two bishops and 15 archbishops have served as chancellor[1]. Of these, here are a select few.

Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St Andrews (1413–1440)[2], the University’s founder, was born c.1365 and educated at the Universities of Paris, Orléans and Avignon. He was appointed to the bishopric of St Andrews in 1403. With first lectures being delivered in St Andrews in 1410, Wardlaw issued a charter of foundation for the University on the 28^th of February 1411. This was ratified by Pope Benedict XIII by papal bull on the 28^th of August 1413. As the head of the University, the role of Chancellor was taken up by Wardlaw from its foundation until his death in 1440.

Wardlaw’s successor, James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews (1440–1465), whose greatest impact on the University was, perhaps, the foundation of St Salvator’s College. The grandson of King Robert III, Kennedy was born c.1408. He studied at the University of St Andrews around 1426 before later studying at the University of Louvain. On his return to Scotland, he was awarded the bishopric of Dunkeld in 1437, and then St Andrews following Wardlaw’s death.  

The College of St Salvator’s was founded in 1450 with funds from Bishop Kennedy. The foundation included the collegiate church, St Salvator’s Chapel. His tomb can be seen in the chapel to this day.  

The sixth Chancellor, Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St Andrews (1504–1513) was one of the co-founders of St Leonard’s College. The illegitimate son of James IV, Stewart was born c.1493. He was appointed as Archdeacon at St Andrews in 1502 and became Archbishop of St Andrews in 1504 on the death of his uncle, James Stewart, Duke of Ross. In 1507, he went to Padua for further studies, studying under Erasmus. In 1512, alongside John Hepburn, Prior of St Andrews, he founded St Leonard’s College, a college for poor clerks. He was not to live long, as he died at the Battle of Flodden alongside his father in 1513.

The two Beatons, James Beaton, Archbishop of St Andrews (1522-1539) and David Beaton, Archbishop of St Andrews (1539-1546) were both students of St Andrews and were uncle and nephew. James, born c.1473, graduated MA in 1493. James Beaton founded St Mary’s College in 1538. Originally a college for divinity, law, medicine and the arts it was later reformed as a college for the study of theology, which continues to this day.

James Beaton is perhaps more well known for overseeing the trial and execution of Patrick Hamilton for heresy in 1528. The initial PH for Patrick Hamilton can be found on North Street near St Salvator’s Chapel.

His nephew David, born c.1494, studied at St Andrews around 1508 before going on to study at Glasgow and the University of Orléans. He regularly attended the French court as a diplomat and became a cardinal in 1539. He was the last Scottish cardinal before the Reformation in 1560. He was to oversee the trial and execution of Protestant preacher George Wishart in March 1546. A few months later, David himself would be killed in his castle (St Andrews Castle) by a group of Fife noblemen outraged by Wishart’s execution.

John Hamilton, Archbishop of St Andrews (1547-1571) was born in 1510/11 and attended the University of St Andrews between 1528 and 1535. He issued a work on Catholic doctrine known as ‘Hamilton’s catechism’ in 1552, thought to be the first book printed in St Andrews. Due to his support of Mary, Queen of Scots, Hamilton was executed in Stirling in 1571, accused of partaking in the assassination of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and the Regent James Stewart, 1^st Earl of Moray, in 1570.

John Douglas, Archbishop of St Andrews (1572-1574) was born c.1500 and studied at St Leonard’s College, graduating MA in 1517. He was elected Rector of the University in 1551 and served until 1573. He was one of the six ‘Johns’ who wrote the First Book of Discipline issued during the Scottish Reformation, lead by another one of the six ‘Johns’, John Knox.

Due to the political and religious turmoil of the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the University saw a break in tradition with the appointment of four chancellors not of religious orders. John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1592-1595), was one such appointee. A student at St Andrews in 1555, he also served as Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, Privy Counsellor and Lord Chancellor of Scotland. He accompanied James VI and I to Denmark to meet the future Queen, Anne of Denmark.

Peers, John Lindsay of Balcarres, Lord Menmuir (1597–1598), John Graham, 3rd Earl of Montrose (1599–1604) and John Campbell, 1st Earl of Loudoun (1643–1661) all held high positions within the Scottish politics and, like John Maitland, were appointed as Chancellor directly by government authorities.

Following the death of Arthur Ross, Archbishop of St Andrews in 1689, the University remained without a chancellor for several years. In the next post, we will examine the next phase of the Chancellorship.

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[1] Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St Andrews (1413–1440); James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews (1440–1465); Patrick Graham, Archbishop of St Andrews (1465–1478); William Schevez, Archbishop of St Andrews (1478–1497); James Stewart, Duke of Ross, Archbishop of St Andrews (1497–1504); Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St Andrews (1504–1513); Andrew Forman, Archbishop of St Andrews (1514–1521); James Beaton, Archbishop of St Andrews (1522–1539); Cardinal David Beaton, Archbishop of St Andrews (1539–1546); John Hamilton, Archbishop of St Andrews (1547–1571); John Douglas, Archbishop of St Andrews (1572–1574); Patrick Adamson, Archbishop of St Andrews (1576–1592); George Gledstanes, Archbishop of St Andrews (1604-1615); John Spottiswoode, Archbishop of St Andrews (1615-1639); James Sharp, Archbishop of St Andrews (1661–1679); Alexander Burnet, Archbishop of St Andrews (1679-1684) and Arthur Ross, Archbishop of St Andrews (1684-1689).

[2] Dates given are for tenure as Chancellor.