Divinity

The Chair of Divinity had been founded in 1620, following the separation of the roles of Principal and Professor of Theology. It soon began to attract private donations and bequests. Between 1618 and 1634, the Town Council received 8,475 merks from ten separate donors towards the upkeep of the Chair. These sums, however, were dwarved by the funds bestowed by Bartilmo Somerville in 1639.

Professors of Divinity

Andrew Ramsay, 1620

Henry Charteris, 1627

James Fairley, 1629

John Sharpe, 1630

Alexander Colvill, 1648

Samuel Rutherford, 1649

David Dickson, 1650

Patrick Scougall, 1662

William Keith, 1664

Laurence Charteris, 1675

John Menzies, 1682

John Strachan, 1683

George Campbell, 1690

George Meldrum, 1701

William Hamilton, 1709

James Smith, 1732

John Gowdie, 1733

Robert Hamilton, 1754

Andrew Hunter, 1779

William Ritchie, 1809

Thomas Chalmers, 1828

John Lee, 1844

Thomas J. Crawford, 1859

Robert Flint, 1876

William Paterson Paterson, 1903