Archdeacons: Colchester

Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 1, St. Paul's, London. Originally published by Institute of Historical Research, London, 1968.

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'Archdeacons: Colchester', in Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 1, St. Paul's, London, (London, 1968) pp. 18-20. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1066-1300/vol1/pp18-20 [accessed 18 March 2024]

ARCHDEACONS OF COLCHESTER

[Quintilian Preb. Ealdland

Always called archdcn., but never with territ. title. First occ. 3 June 1102 (Gibbs no. 178) and c. 1102 (Acta SS., Oct., 111 754). Last occ. 1115/16 (A/24/1478 and WD 4 fos. 19/23v-20/24r pd. in Rep. pp. 61b-62a). Presum. archdcn. of Colchester because prob. succeeded in archdcnry., as also in preb., by his son Cyprian. Occ. together with archdcns. Reinger, Walter, and Robert (Gibbs no. 178), thought to be archdcns. of London, Essex, (fn. 1) and Middlesex respectively.]

[Cyprian son of Quintilian Preb. Ealdland

Always called archdcn., but never with territ. title. First occ. [prob. 1115, before 28 Oct.] (Eyton, Antiquities of Shropshire 111 233). Last occ. 1132/3 (WD 4 fo. 53/57r-v, pd. in Rep. p. 67b), but may occ. later, [c. 1128 × 1138] (WD 4 fo. 52/56v, pd. in Rep. p. 67a-b). (fn. 2) Called archdcn. of London [1115] (Eyton, loc. cit.), but prob. means of London dioc. Presum. archdcn. of Colchester, because occ. together with archdcns. Hugh and Richard [Ruffus I] [c. 1128 × 1138] (Rep. p. 67a-b, as above), known to be archdcns. of Middlesex and Essex respectively, at a time when William de Belmeis I was archdcn. of London. Called son of Quintilian in prebendal cats. for Ealdland.]

[Geoffrey Preb. Ealdland

Always called archdcn., but never with territ. title. First occ. [c. 1136 × 1138] (J.S. Epp. 1 231-2 and n. 14, 233, 235). Last occ. in or after 1138 (A/71/1801, cal. in Rep. p. 50b; WD 4 fos. 28/32r, 54/58v, 55/59v-56/60r, pd. in Rep. pp. 63b, 68a (bis)). (fn. 3) Called archdcn. of London in letter of John of Salisbury (J.S. Epp. 1 231-2), but presum. means of London dioc. (fn. 4) Almost certainly archdcn. of Colchester, because said in same letter to have convened an archidiaconal chapter at Colchester (ibid. p. 235; cf. ibid. p. 232 n. 14).]

Ailward Preb. Ealdland

First certain occ. as archdcn. c. 19 Apr. 1142 (Gibbs no. 219), but occ. as archdcn. of Colchester in document of either 1139 or c. 1144 (L. Voss, Heinrich von Blois, Bischof von Winchester (Berlin, 1932) p. 152 (name wrongly given as Edward); cf. Saltman, Theobald no. 168). Last occ. after Sept. 1152 (A/39/1367; (fn. 5) Cart. Colne, no. 18 (fn. 6) ). D. or res. by c. 1154 (J.S. Epp. 1 7-8 and n. 1).

[M. Henry of London

Renounced claim to archdcnry. of Colchester c. 1154 (J.S. Epp. 1 7-8 and n. 2). Occ. without title [March 1157 × May 1162] (see below pp. 92-3).]

William (fn. 7) Preb. unident.

Prob. to be identified with William archdcn. of London, who occ. 11 Jan. 1155 ('The Staffordshire chartulary', ed. R. W. Eyton, Coll. Hist. Staffs. ii (William Salt Archaeol. Soc., 1881) 233-5), for at this time William de Belmeis I, archdcn. of London, had d. or res., and had been succeeded by Hugh de Mareni. Also occ. as archdcn. of Colchester, 16 Aug. [1162] (Materials for Becket v 22), and after 21 Oct. 1166 (cart. of Walden: B.M., Harley MS. 3697 fo. 61r). (fn. 8)

Richard Foliot I (fn. 9) Preb[s. ?Consumpta,] Wenlocksbarn

First occ. as archdcn. [c. 1167 × 1168] (G.F.L. no. 188). Last dated occ. 2 Dec. 1178 (G.F.L. no. 410), but occ. [prob. c. 1179 × c. 1180] (as archdcn. of Colchester) (G.F.L. no. 401). Perhaps transf. to archdcnry. of Middlesex c. 1181.

M. Ralph de Alta Ripa (fn. 10) Preb. Caddington Major

Not appd. before 11 June 1180, when still mag. schol. Presum. ceased to be mag. schol. by 1183/4, when his successor occ. First occ. as archdcn. without territ. title, but must be Colchester [c. 1180 × Sept. 1186] (Gibbs no. 243; A/39/1362). Last occ., called archdcn. of Colchester, 25 July 1190 (Diceto 11 84; Chrons. of Ric. I, ed. W. Stubbs (Rolls ser. xxxviii) 1 91, 93). D. as archdcn. 1190 or 1191 (Gesta Hen. II 11 147). Nephew of Gilbert Foliot I, bp. of London (1163-87) (see G.F. p. 44 n. 4).

Richard of Ely Preb. Cantlers

First occ. c. 1192 (D.S.R. II). Last occ. [Dec. 1213 × Apr. 1214] (charter roll of Holy Trinity, Aldgate: B.M., Cotton Roll xiii. 18 no. 10). (fn. 11) D. as archdcn. some time before Oct. 1217 (Gibbs no. 213). Called only Richard the archdcn. and Richard archdcn. of Colchester in all occs. in office, but given full name and title in Obit. II. Commem. 4 Apr. (Obits. I fo. llv, (fn. 12) II fo. 108r, III fo. 95r, IV pp. 65, 80). Prob. a relative of Ralph of Ely, archdcn. of Middlesex (see above p. 16).

S-

Occ. once only, [c. 1214 × Sept. 1216] (Gibbs no. 254). (fn. 13) Possibly to be identified with Simon of Gloucester, preb. of Weldland (see below p. 84).

M. Roger Niger Preb. Ealdland

First occ. 27 Nov. 1218 (cart. of St. Thomas of Acon: B.M., Cotton MS. Tib. C. v fo. 152r-v), and [c. 1216 × 1219] (Gibbs no. 194). (fn. 14) Last occ. [Aug. × Oct. 1228] (Gibbs no. 280). (fn. 15) Bp. of London, el. 1228, cons. June 1229.

M. Hugh of London II Preb. Caddington Minor

First occ. before March 1231 (B.M., Harley MS. 6956 fo. 97v, from missing Liber F fo. 143), (fn. 16) and [Nov. 1229 × 15 Jan. 1232] (Gibbs no. 294). (fn. 17) D. as archdcn. 1238 (Ann. Dunstable, Ann. Mon. 111 148), prob. Dec. (see Statutes p. 187).

M. Robert de Insula [?Preb. Twiford]

Ralph de Insula Preb. unident.

At this point the succession is confused. There occur the following:

M. Robert de Insula, archdcn. of Colchester, occ. 15 Aug. 1248 (cart. of Castle Acre: B.M., Harley MS. 2110 fo. 133r), 13 Apr. 1249 (Reg. Innoc. IV no. 4442), 25 Feb. 1252 (cart. of Castle Acre: B.M., Harley MS. 2110 fo. 134r), and [Feb. 1245 × May 1257] (cart. of Blythborough: B.M., Add. MS. 40725 fo. 53v; (fn. 18) cf. occs., n.d., in cart. of Walden: B.M., Harley MS. 3697 fo. 46v, and in Norwich, D. & C., Reg. III fo. 239v). As M. Robert, archdcn. of Colchester, he occ. 27 Dec. 1249 (cart. of Castle Acre: B.M., Harley MS. 2110 fo. 133r-v) and 20 Dec. 1252 (ibid. fo. 135r). Possibly he is to be identified with M. Robert de Insula, can. of St. Paul's (preb. Twiford, below p. 82), who is said, presum. wrongly, to have d. between 30 Sept. and 25 Dec. 1246 (Ann. Dunstable, Ann. Mon. 111 171). M. Robert de Insula was certainly archdcn. of Colchester by 15 Aug. 1248 to 20 Dec. 1252 or later.

During this period, however, there occurs also Ralph, archdcn. of Colchester, on 10 July 1249 (Cart. Colec. 11 514) and 9 Sept. 1249 (Westminster, D. & C., Ch. 2534). Ralph is prob. to be identified with Ralph de Insula, archdcn. of Colchester, who occ. [Feb. 1245 × May 1257] (cart. of West Dereham: B.M., Add. MS. 46353 fo. 13r). (fn. 18) It does not seem reasonable to interpret three occs. of Ralph as scribal errors for Robert. The most likely explanation is that Ralph de Insula, who was prob. related to Robert, was an assistant or vice-archdcn.

It is therefore not possible to say which of the following occs. belong to M. Robert de Insula and which to Ralph de Insula, but they prob. all belong to M. Robert's period of office:

Master R. de Insula, archdcn. of Colchester, occ. 24 June 1245 (B.M., Add. Ch. 28408), 2 Apr. 1251 (Oxford, New College, Reg. Secundum fo. 211r) and 4 Dec. 1251 (cart. of Bromholm: Cambridge, Univ. Libr., MS. Mm. 2. 20 fo. 35v). R. archdcn. of Colchester occ. 23 Jan. 1244 (A/21/2), and Master R., archdcn. of Colchester, occ. 6 Oct. 1248 (First Reg. of Norwich Cathedral Priory, ed. H. W. Saunders (Norf. Record Soc. xi) p. 132).

M. Hugh de Sancto Edmundo (fn. 19) Preb. Ealdstreet

Previously archdcn. of Essex. Not appd. until after 24 Dec. 1250, when still archdcn. of Essex, in which position he had been succeeded by Feb. 1253. (fn. 20) First occ. as archdcn. of Colchester [Apr. 1254 × Aug. 1257] (A/32/643). (fn. 21) Last occ. prob. 2 Oct. 1260 (A/37/1123, see above p. 7 n. 3). Possibly res. archdcnry. before 15 Nov. 1260, when occ. as can. (A/2A/613; cf. below p. 48).

Fulk Lovel Prebs. Islington, Caddington Major

Presum. not appd. until after 1263, when still called can. (WD 19 fo. 12b). First occ. as archdcn. 12 March 1267 (Chrons. Edw. I and II 1 77), and [Dec. 1262 × c. 1268] (A/28/259). (fn. 22) Bp.-el. of London 1280, but res. D. as archdcn. 21 Nov. 1285 (Flor. Hist. 111 64). Commem. 21 Nov. (Obits. II fo. 110r, IV pp. 72, 102).

M. Giles Filliol Preb. Mapesbury

First occ. 6 March 1287 (cart. of St. Martin le Grand: Westminster, D. & C., Muniment bk. v fo. xxviiv), and 10 May 1287 (ibid. fo. xxviir). Last occ. after 28 May 1299 (A/28/270). (fn. 23) His successor apparently occ. Sept. 1302 (Le Neve, Fasti 1300-1541 v (1963) 13).

Footnotes

  • 1. The identification of Walter as archdcn. of Essex (above p. 12) rests on that of Quintilian as archdcn. of Colchester.
  • 2. Temp. Hugh, archdcn. of Middlesex (above p. 15).
  • 3. Temp. Richard de Belmeis II, archdcn. of Middlesex (above p. 15).
  • 4. H. G. Richardson, E.H.R. lvii (1942) 129 and n. 3, argues that Geoffrey was archdcn. of London before 1152, in succession to William de Belmeis I. But Belmeis occ. in or after Sept. 1152 (above p. 9).
  • 5. Temp. Hugh de Mareni, archdcn. of London (above p. 9).
  • 6. Temp. Richard de Belmeis II, bp. of London (above p. 2).
  • 7. See also G.F. p. 273.
  • 8. Temp. William de Mandeville, earl of Essex (see Comp. Peer. v 117-18).
  • 9. See also G.F. pp. 273-4.
  • 10. See also G.F. p. 274.
  • 11. After Dec. 1213 (cf. charter roll of Holy Trinity, Aldgate: B.M., Cotton Roll xiii. 18 no. 9), and temp. Richard Junior, can. (preb. of Holbourn, below p. 53).
  • 12. But a scribal error gives 3 Apr., which is copied in obit. in WD 2 fo. 96/103v.
  • 13. Temp. Gilbert de Plesseto, archdcn. of London (above p. 10), Gervase of Howbridge, chanc. (below p. 26), and Alard de Burnham, dean (above p. 6).
  • 14. Terminus a quo given by occ. of Robert de Watford, dean (above p. 6).
  • 15. Temp. Martin of Pattishall, dean (above p. 6), and Eustace de Fauconberg, bp. of London (p. 2).
  • 16. Temp. Reginald, archdcn. of Middlesex (above pp. 16-17).
  • 17. Temp. Geoffrey de Lucy, dean (above p. 6), and before Alexander de Swereford became treas. (below p. 22).
  • 18. Temp. Walter de Suffield, bp. of Norwich.
  • 19. Cf. above p. 14 n. 1.
  • 20. For the possibility that he res. archdcnry. of Essex by Jan. 1251, see above p. 14.
  • 21. Temp. Walter de Salerne, dean (above p. 7).
  • 22. Temp. Geoffrey de Fering, dean (above p. 7).
  • 23. Temp. Richard de Gravesend II, treas. (below p. 22).