Roger de Balnebrich

Roger de Balnebrich [de Balnebrech, de Balnebriech, de Ballinbreth] was a 14th-century Scottish churchman. Roger received a university education, being styled Magister ("Master") by August 1313, though it is not known where he took his degree; the degree, however, was almost certainly done in canon law. His name derives either from Ballinbreich in Fife or Balnabriech, in Brechin, Angus.

Litigation took place at the papal curia, in which Roger's rival Maurice, Abbot of Inchaffray, emerged victorious; Roger did not receive provision or consecration, and had resigned his claims before 5 March, when Maurice received papal provision. The sources say that by this point in time Roger was rector of Forteviot.

Roger, Bishop of Ross Roger may have disappeared from the records after that, though this is now doubtful. Professor Donald Watt has argued that Roger de Balnebrich is the same as Roger, Bishop of Ross from 1325 until 1350, and who Watt suggests had remained at the papal curia for three years until provided to Ross.

This Roger was said to have been a canon of Abernethy, which did lie in the diocese of Dunblane. Unfortunately, as Professor Watt acknowledged, because the scarce evidence has not as yet given Roger, as Bishop of Ross, a surname, and because it has not yielded any direct statement on the matter, it cannot be proven that Roger de Balnebrich and Roger (Bishop of Ross) were one and the same person.