The Abbot of Deer was the head of the Cistercian monastic community of Deer Abbey

Deer Abbey

Deer Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Buchan, Scotland. It was founded by 1219 AD with the patronage William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, who is also buried there. There was an earlier community of Scottish monks or priests...

 in Buchan

Buchan

Buchan is one of the six committee areas and administrative areas of Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland. These areas were created by the council in 1996, when the Aberdeenshire unitary council area was created under the Local Government etc Act 1994...

. It was founded in 1219 by William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan

William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan

William Comyn was one of four sons of Richard Comyn, Justiciar of Lothian and Hextilda of Tynedale. He was born in Scotland, in Altyre, Moray in 1163 and died in Buchan in 1233 where he is buried in Deer Abbey...

. There was an earlier community of Scottish monks or priests which was probably absorbed by the new foundation (see Deer Abbey

Deer Abbey

Deer Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Buchan, Scotland. It was founded by 1219 AD with the patronage William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, who is also buried there. There was an earlier community of Scottish monks or priests...

). It was turned into a secular lordship for Commendator Robert Keith II (becoming Lord Altrie

Lord Altrie

Lord Altrie is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on July 29, 1587 for Robert Keith. On his death, about 1593, it was inherited by his nephew George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal, and has remained united with that title.-Lords Altrie :...

) in 1587. The following is a list of known abbots and commendators:

List of abbots

Robert, 1219-1220 Alexander, 1220-1222 Herbert, 1224 Walran, 1224 x 1226-1234 Hugh, 1234-1235 Robert, 1235-1252 Henry, 1252-1262 Adam de Smalham, ? 1262-1267 Hugh, 1267 Richard, x 1289 Brice, 1296 Michael, 1316-1327x1328 John, 1338 x 1346 Robert, 1355 x 1366

Thomas, 1395-1406 x c.1416 Robert Crokat, c.1416-1423 Arthur de Calamo, 1428-1435 [1439] David Cran, 1430-1435 Andrew Symonis, 1435-1439 Nicholas de Forres, 1439-1457 Patrick Mador, 1441 William Ernot, 1457-1477 x 1483 David Bane, 1458-1460 Nicholas Sharp, 1482 Thomas Bett, 1483 James Pethindreich, 1483-1507 x 1510 Nicholas Flaigi, 1505 John Innes, 1509-1543

List of commendators

• Robert Keith I, 1543-1550
• Robert Keith II, 1552-1587