Hereditary keeper

Hereditary keepers (known as Deòradh in Scottish Gaelic) were lay individuals or families tasked over generations with the long-term, usually multi-generational, guardianship of historically significant holy objects such as or relics or their reliquaries. Most of the artefacts dated from the early medieval period and include book shrines, Bell shrines, Celtic brooches, croziers and manuscripts.

The practice was especially prevalent in Ireland from the 13th century through to the early modern period. It came about following the late 12th century Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, when the Irish Church was suppressed and many objects were buried in fields or bogs, or hidden on church grounds to protect them from plunder or destruction.

The tradition in Scotland had a key difference: deòradh were "officially charged" with the custody of a relic, and thus were given episcopal authority for various duties, most commonly in settling disputes or collecting fees.