Archdeacons: Brecon

Archdeacons

Brecon

Issues of manor of Llanddew (Powys) (Valor IV 380a).

Valuation 1291 £5 (Taxatio p. 274a).

ARCHDEACONS

Elias

Occ. as archdcn. of Brecon 1115 x 1120s (St Davids Acta no. 17).

Jordan

First occ. as archdcn. 10 Sept. 1120 x 1148, prob. after 1125 (St Davids Acta no. 19) and twice 1125 x 48 (ibid. nos. 6-7). If to be identified with Jordan chapl. of earl Henry of Northumberland and chanc. to kg. David I of Scotland in 1141, these occs. would belong to 1141 x 48 (Regesta Regum Scottorum I, The Acts of Malcolm IV, ed. G. W. S. Barrow (Edinburgh, 1960) pp. 111-12, 145-6, 158; see St Davids Acta p. 28 and no. 20). Depr. of archdcnry. temp. pope Eugenius III (1145-53); archdcnry. gr. to Nicholas by bp. David; Jordan restored 1153 x 61 after appeal to pope (JS Epp. I no. 86; cf. The Letters and Charters of Gilbert Foliot, ed. A. Morey and C. N. L. Brooke (Cambridge, 1967) no. 112). Last occ. as archdcn. after 19 Dec. 1148 (St Davids Acta no, 30). Gerald of Wales discovered Jordan was married and susp. him mid 1170s; he was deposed 1174/5 (Gir. Cambr. I 27; see St Davids Acta p. 60),

Gerald of Wales (de Barri) (fn. 1)

His appt. prob. approved May 1175 (Councils & Synods, I, 871-1204, ed. D. Whitelock, M. Brett and C. N. L. Brooke (2 pts., Oxford, 1981) p. 976). First occ. as archdcn. 1174 x 8 May 1176 (St Davids Acta nos. 33, 69 (at p. 92, ch. of chapter)); presum. Brecon, from which he had ejected Jordan 1174/ 5 (above). Kg.'s clerk, accompanied abp. on preaching tour of Wales 1188, requesting Welsh support for the coming Third Crusade ('Itinerarium Kambriae', in Gir. Cambr. VI 1-152; see Bartlett, Gerald p. 15). Preb. of Hereford, prob. coll. 10 Aug. 1186 x 24 Dec. 1198, depr. by 1202 (1 Fasti VIII 69). Bp.-el. of St Davids 1199 (above, list 34). Held preb. of Mathri, which included a house at Llanddew and church at Llanwnda (Penfro), by 4 June 1203 (Gir. Cambr. I 56, III 227, 325; Letters of Innocent III no. 490; below, list 45); claimed preb. of Llanrhian against Osbert archdcn. of Carmarthen (Gir. Cambr. I 309, 326; below, list 41). He also gave two unnamed prebs. to two of his supporters, named Philip and Idnard, before 4 June 1203 (Letters of Innocent III nos. 491-2; below, list 46). Wished to create a preb. for Martin (prob. son of Pontius, list 46). Remained as archdcn, until 1203, when he ceded archdcnry. to his nephew Gerald the younger (below), although continued to control the archdcnry. administration and revenue for some time (Gir. Cambr. III 325). Prob. occ. as G. de Barry, without title, after 27 Oct. 1219 (St Davids Acta no. 78). D. as incumbent of Chesterton (Oxon.) before Dec. 1223 (Rotuli Hugonis de Welles, ed. W. P. W. Phillimore et al. (CYS i, iii, iv, 1912-14) II 9-10; cf. Gir. Cambr. I 262-3, III 237).

Gerald de Barri (the younger)

Gr. archdcnry. and preb. of Mathri by his uncle Gerald of Wales 1203 (Gir. Cambr. III 325; Speculum Duorum pp. xxviii, 36-7, 214-15, 246-7; below, list 45), but under the senior Gerald's close supervision for some years: they occ. together 1203 x 08 ('Cart. Brecon', ed. R. W. Banks, Arch. Camb. 4th sen, xiv (1883) 155-6; (fn. 2) cf. ibid. xiii (1882) 306-7). Nephew attested independently of his uncle, as Gerald archdcn., without territorial title, 7 Dec. 1203 x 1214 (St Davids Acta no. 69, at p. 93). In same period he was allowed by his uncle to experience local chapter meetings (Speculum Duorum pp. 246-9). Bitterly attacked by his uncle in writings from 1208 (ibid. pp. xxx-xxxix), said to have been estranged from his uncle by bp, Geoffrey (Gir. Cambr. III 352). First occ. as G. archdcn. of Brecon twice in same period, 7 Dec. 1203 x 1214 (St Davids Acta nos. 54, 55). Also occ. 21 June 1215 x 27 Jan. 1229 (ibid. nos. 73, 79) and 1234 (ibid. p. 113, as 'A.' archdcn. and bp.'s official). Last occ. 4 Jan. 1247 (Episcopal Acts I 372 (D535)). Father of three sons (Gervase, Seisyll and Nicholas) and one daughter; seems to have adopted ways of Welsh clergy rather than those of his uncle (see J. S. Barrow, 'Gerald of Wales's great-nephews', Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies viii (1984) pp. 101-6). (fn. 3)

John

Occ. as archdcn. of Brecon at synod 10 Oct. 1253 (St Davids Acta no. 122).

Roger of Christchurch (fn. 4)

Archdcn. of Brecon, absent contumaciously from synod 12 Nov. 1259 (St Davids Acta no. 131, at p. 148).

M. John de Fecham (Fekeham)

Can. of St Davids, occ. at synods 10 Oct. 1253 (St Davids Acta no. 122) and 12 Nov. 1259, when appd. one of auditors of chapter accounts (ibid. no. 131, at pp. 147, 151). Occ. as bp.'s vicar-general 14-15 Jan. 1272 (Select Cases from the Ecclesiastical Courts of the Province of Canterbury c. 1200-1301, ed. N. Adams and C. Donahue (Selden Soc. xcv, 1981) pp. 75-6, and ibid. introduction pp. 24, 40, 42). D. as archdcn. of Brecon 1274 (Ann. Camb. p. 104). (fn. 5)

M. Henry de Villa Amlof (fn. 6)

Succeeded M. John de Fecham as archdcn. of Brecon 1274 (Ann. Camb. p. 104). D. 1278, before 6 Sept. (Ann. Camb. p. 105). Legacy for funeral and obit mentioned 1 March 1279 (St Davids statutes, BL Harley MS 6280 fo. 61r-v). Possibly to be identified with M. Henry, rector of Llanymddyfri (Caerfyrddin), who occ. 12 Nov. 1259 (St Davids Acta no. 131, at p. 148).

M. Adam Bareth (fn. 7)

Treas. of St Davids, succeeded M. Henry de Villa Amlof as archdcn. of Brecon 1278, before 6 Sept. (Ann. Camb. p. 105; above, list 37). First occ. as archdcn. of Brecon 1 March 1279 (St Davids statutes, BL Harley MS 6280 fo. 61r-v). Occ. several times, including at episcopal el. of 1293 (CPL I 564). Last occ. 22 Feb. 1303 (St Davids statutes, BL Harley MS 6280 fo. 55v). His successor occ. 21 Apr. 1328 (2 Fasti XI 61).