SUTHERLAND, Alexander Dean of Caithness ¹

  General Notes:

"Alexander was Rector of Duffus in 1512, Chaplain for the chapel of Duffus Castle in 1524, and Dean (head of the chapter for a cathedral) of Caithness. (It was Gilbert of Moray, Bishop of Caithness and patron saint of Dornoch who founded Dornoch cathedral in the diocese of Caithness including the Earldom of Sutherland, DJJS. Alexander founded anniversaries (the celebration of mass in memory of some one on the day of his or her death) for his parents, his brother William and others. In 1549 he was curator for his grandnephew Alexander Sutherland of Duffus and was still alive in 1551."

"William, son of William Sutherland of Duffus, challenged the Bishop to answer for his father's death. When the Bishop ignored his challenge. the young laird seized the Bishop's servants, whereupon he and his uncle, the Dean of Caithness, were incarcerated and by the Privy Council compelled to make peace with the Bishop."

from Duffus ²