ARCHDEACONS OF NORWICH
William I
First certain occ. as archdcn. [Oct. 1126 × Feb. 1127] (Reg. Holme 1 no. 124), but
may occ. earlier, [June 1121 × ?Oct. 1122] (Camb., King's Coll. Muniments B/5) (fn. 6) and
[June 1121 × 1135] (B.M., Topham ch. 3). (fn. 7) Last occ. 18 May 1148 (Cheney, Eng. Bps.'
Chanceries p. 154). Occ. as archdcn. of Norwich several times, but may mean of
Norwich dioc. Occ. as archdcn. of Norwich, however, in context of city of Norwich,
and may be territorial title, 20 March 1144 (Life of St. William of Norwich, ed. A.
Jessopp and M. R. James (Cambridge, 1896) p. 17). Also suggestive of seniority among
archdcns. are occs. as sole archdcn. in company with bp., e.g. 25 May 1130 (Misc.
D. M. Stenton p. 162) and 19 May 1148 (Cheney, Eng. Bps.' Chanceries p. 154).
Frequently, but not invariably, has precedence over other archdcns. (e.g. H.M.C.,
Lothian MSS. (1905) p. 40; Norwich, Reg. IV p. 28; but contrast Reg. Holme 1 no.
124). (fn. 1)
[?Ralph
Occ. once only, not certainly archdcn., but together with Roger and Walkelin,
archdcns. respectively of Norfolk and Suffolk, who also occ. here without titles, after
1146 (cart. of Blythburgh: B.M., Add. MS. 40725 fo. 16v). If Ralph was an archdcn.,
he was prob. archdcn. of Norwich, because he occ. together with Roger and Walkelin,
archdcns. respectively of Norfolk and Suffolk, at a time when Baldwin [of Boulogne]
was archdcn. [of Sudbury].] (fn. 2)
[Philip
Presum. not appd. until after 28 March 1155, when still called abp.'s chanc.
(T. Madox, Formulare Anglicanum (1702) no. 138; cf. Cheney, Eng. Bps.' Chanceries
pp. 29-31). First occ. as archdcn. [1157 × 61] (Saltman, Theobald nos. 35, 83-4) and
prob. 1160 (Gerv. Cant. 11 288). Also occ. [?Jan. 1161] (cart. of Castle Acre: B.M.,
Harley MS. 2110 fos. 112v-113r) and before 1164 (Newington Longeville Charters, ed.
H. E. Salter (Oxfords. Record Soc. iii) no. 122). Occ. as archdcn. of Norwich, but may
mean of Norwich dioc. Presum. archdcn. of Norwich, because occ. during the period
when Roger, Walkelin and Baldwin [of Boulogne] were archdcns. respectively of
Norfolk, Suffolk and [Sudbury].]
[William II
(fn. 3)
First occ. as archdcn. before 1168 (Reg. Holme 1 no. 86; cf. ibid. no. 94, of [1158 ×
68]). Last occ. 1178/9 (H.M.C., Various Collections iv (1907) 317). Occ. as archdcn. of
Norwich, but may mean of Norwich dioc. Presum. archdcn. of Norwich because occ.
together with Roger and Steingrim, successively archdcns. [of Norfolk] (Reg. Holme 1
no. 94; H.M.C., Various Collections iv (1907) 317), and with Walkelin, archdcn. of
Suffolk (Reg. Holme 1 no. 86; H.M.C., Various Collections iv (1907) 317), during the
period when William son of Humphrey and Baldwin [of Boulogne] were successive
archdcns. of Sudbury.]
Thomas
First occ. as archdcn. 1181/2 (cart. of Castle Acre: B.M., Harley MS. 2110 fo.
125r-v). Last occ. 6 Aug. 1198 (First Reg. Norw. p. 86) and [June 1198 × Dec. 1199]
(Innocent III, Cal. Letters no. 178). Certainly archdcn. of Norwich (Rot. Chart. p. 74b). (fn. 4)
Geoffrey de Burgh
Royal coll. in succession to Thomas, sede vacante, 14 Aug. 1200 (Rot. Chart. p. 74b).
Bp.-el. of Ely 1215-19 (above p. 46). Also can. of Salisbury and treas. of Exchequer.
Archdcn. until became bp. of Ely, el. between May and June 1225, cons. June (see
above p. 46).
Luke the chaplain
Royal coll., sede vacante, 9 Nov. 1226 (Pat. R. 1225-32 p. 91). In dispute with John
of Ferentino, before 22 June 1228 (see below). Presum. to be identified with Luke the
chapl., senior clk. of royal wardrobe, chanc. of Lichfield, dean of St. Martin le Grand,
preb. of London, who became abp. of Dublin, el. before 13 Dec. 1228, cons. after
30 Apr. 1230 (see Fasti 1066-1300 1 (1968) 70), and perhaps previously chapl. of
Pandulph, bp. of Norwich (see T. F. Tout, Chapters in the Administrative History of
Mediaeval England 1 (Manchester, 1920) 195 and n. 1).
M. John of Ferentino
(fn. 1)
Papal prov.; in dispute with Luke before 22 June 1228 (Pat. R. 1225-32 p. 191).
First occ. 17 Feb. 1229 (Reg. Greg. IX no. 271). Last occ. 29 Jan. 1238 (Cal. Papal
Letters 1 (1893) 235, incompletely pd. in Reg. Innoc. IV no. 3337). (fn. 2) Also papal chamberlain (cf. Reg. Greg. IX no. 3302).
M. William de Suffield
(fn. 3)
Occ. without title 21 Feb. 1246, in entourage of Walter de Suffield, bp. of Norwich
(1245-57) (Norwich, Reg. IV pp. 104-5). First occ. as archdcn. 15 Aug. 1248 (cart. of
Castle Acre: B.M., Harley MS. 2110 fo. 133r). Last occ. 25 Feb. 1252 (ibid. fo. 134r).
Unnamed archdcns. of Norwich occ. 21 May 1253 (Reg. Innoc. IV no. 6748) and 24
July 1255 (Reg. Alex. IV no. 655).
M. Thomas de Skerning
(fn. 4)
First occ. Jan. 1273 (Norwich, Reg. IV pp. 311-13). Last occ. 20 Oct. 1289 (Reg.
Pontissara 1 33-4). Presum. transf. to archdcnry. of Suffolk by May or June 1291 and
d. between Nov. 1296 and March 1301 (see below pp. 68, 95). Archdcnry. vacant
4 Feb. 1302 (Norwich, Norf. and Norwich R.O., Reg. J. Salmon fo. 7v).