Archdeacons: Wiltshire

Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 4, Salisbury. Originally published by Institute of Historical Research, London, 1991.

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'Archdeacons: Wiltshire', in Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 4, Salisbury, (London, 1991) pp. 33-37. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1066-1300/vol4/pp33-37 [accessed 24 April 2024]

Archdeacons

ARCHDEACONRY

Church of Minety (Wilts., not in DB), part of pre-Conquest endowment of Malmesbury abbey (Reg. Malmes. I 294, 300; cf. ibid. pp. 349, 356, 360 etc.), annexed to archdcnry. Oct. 1276 (IV/E.5/Archdeacon of Wiltshire/4, pd. from cart. Malmesbury in Reg. Malmes. I 425-6, cf. ibid. p. 429).

Fourth archdcnry., covering four deaneries of Wiltshire: Avebury, Cricklade, Malmesbury and Marlborough.

Valuations

1291 archdncry. (with church of Minety, and excluding procurations) £26 13s. 4d., total of spirs. in archdcnry. £1,363 2s. 8d.

ARCHDEACONS

[Azo preb. unident., list 65

Occ. twice, both occasions before Dec. 1139: prob. 1122 x Dec. 1139 together with Ernald, archdcn. [of Salisbury, list 9], so prob. predecessor of Roger of Ramsbury archdcn. [of Wilts.] (RSO I 215), and some time before Dec. 1139, as brother of Roger of Ramsbury (ibid. p. 351). (fn. 1) Prob. to be identifed with Azo who was dean by 1139 (list 2), preb. Potterne (list 47). Possibly donor of a cope (RSO II 129, also pd. Ceremonies p. 171, 'Azo archdcn.', but this seems more likely to have been Azo archdcn. of Salisbury, list 9).]

[Roger of Ramsbury (fn. 2) preb. Heytesbury, list 35

Can. (list 35). First occ., as Roger, one of archdcns. of Wilts., the other being Ernald, and together with Adelelm archdcn. of Dorset, before Dec. 1139 (Kealey p. 255, and also p. 254). Called Roger archdcn. of Wilts., n.d. (RSO I 343). Occ. with full name, together with archdcns. Adelelm of Dorset, Roger of Berks. and Henry [of Salisbury] [Dec. 1154 x June 1155] (IV/C.3/Chardstock/2 and B. 47, pd. Sar. Chs. p. 19, and see Roger archdcn. of Berks., list 8 n. 1). Last occ. 13 Dec. 1157 (Historia et Cartularium... Gloucestriae, ed. W. H. Hart (RS xxxiii, 1863-7) II 106). Brother of Azo, archdcn. [of Wilts.] (RSO I 351). Prob. succeeded in his archdcnry. by Reginald Fitz Jocelin, and therefore prob. archdcnry. of Wilts. (ibid. p. 352).]

[Reginald Fitz Jocelin (fn. 3) ? preb. Heytesbury, list 35

First occ., as Reginald archdcn. 'of Salisbury', 8 Dec. 1161, but presum. the successor of Roger of Ramsbury and therefore archdcn. of Wilts. (RSO I 352, for date cf. Jaffe nos. 10683-90). Appd. abbot of St Exuperius, Corbeil, 1164 (HMC Wells II 547). Son of bp. Jocelin de Bohun (1142-84) (list 1), called 'the Lombard', sent to Rome on king's business 1167 (Materials for Becket VI 273, cf. ibid. pp. 203, 643 etc.). Officiated once in deanery of Potterne (? archdcnry. of Salisbury) during archdcn. Jordan's term of office (list 9) (cart. Llanthony: PRO, C. 115/K.2/6683 viii. 6, also K.1/6679 fo. 31v). Bp. of Bath, el. 1173, cons. 23 June 1174.]

William preb. unident., list 65

Occ. twice in 1170s (Cart. Lewes Wilts. no. 47, and Winchester College Muniments 4272). Presum. to be identified with W. archdcn. who occ. together with Jordan archdcn. [of Salisbury] c. 16 Oct. 1173 (IV/C.3/Potterne/1, 9).

Richard of Wilton preb. unident., list 65

Sheriff of Wilts., 1164-79 (PR 10 Hen. II p. 13, 25 Hen. II p. 56). First occ. as archdcn. before 1179 [? 1178] (A Medieval Miscellany for D. M. Stenton, ed. P. M. Barnes and C. F. Slade (PRS, n.s. xxxvi, 1962) p. 261, for date see M. G. Cheney, Roger of Worcester 1164-1179 (Oxford, 1980) p. 259; cf. PR 26 Hen. II p. 75), and twice with Adelelm dean of Lincoln [and archdcn. of Dorset, list 7] (Cart. Southwick I pp. 11-12 (I 21-2)). Occ. with title, together with William archdcn. of Dorset and Azo archdcn. of Salisbury 1175 x 84 (Sar. Chs. pp. 43-4). Companion and prob. kinsman of Jocelin archdcn. of Lewes, nephew of bp. Hilary (cf. Acta Chichester no. 60; BL, Harley MS 6974 fo. 29v; PR 31 Hen. II p. 191). Last occ. prob. after 1189/90 (Reg. Malmes. I 441, cf. ibid. p. 444). (fn. 4) Donor of a cope (RSO II 130, 133, also pd. Ceremonies pp. 171, 174).

Humphrey [of Bassingbourn preb. Netherbury in Ecclesia, list 44]

Occ. Apr. or May 1193, together with William of Ste-Mére-Eglise, his successor in this archdcnry., who occ. here without title (RSO I 223). But evidently transf. immediately to archdcnry. of Salisbury, where he occ. Apr. or May 1193 (list 9, and see below).

William of Ste-Mére-Eglise (fn. 5) preb. unident., list 65

Clk. of royal chamber by 1183 (Recueil des Actes de Henri II, ed. L. V. Delisle and E. Berger (4 vols., Paris, 1909-27) II no. 635, cf. ibid. no. 619). King's envoy, sent together with bp. Hubert Walter to queen Eleanor in England Apr. 1193 (Landon, Itin. Ric. I pp. 74-6). Occ. without title Apr. or May 1193 (RSO I 223). First occ. this archdcnry. Apr. or May 1193 (C. 105, incorrectly pd. as 'archdcn. of Salisbury' in RSO I 241; also RSO I 243, 247; cf. his occ. with queen Eleanor in Cal. Docs. France no. 1090). Occ. several times. Also dean of Mortain and St Martin le Grand, London; preb. of Lincoln and London (1 Fasti III 72, I 48). Bp. of London, el. 7 Dec. 1198, cons. 23 May 1199 (ibid. I 2).

[T-, who occ. this archdcnry. in a formulary mandate of pope Innocent III (1198-1215), was prob. a fictitious person (Lambeth Palace Libr., MS 105 fo. 217v; not in Innocent III, Cal. Letters).]

M. Richard Grosseteste (fn. 6) preb. Calne, list 24

Occ. as clk. or chapl., witness to ch. of bp. Herbert Poore, 10 Dec. 1198 (cart. Abingdon: BL, Cotton MS Claud. C. ix fo. 184r). First occ. this archdcnry. 8 Jan. 1199 (Cart. Southwick I p. 93 (I 154)). Occ. several times. (fn. 7) Occ. with full name and title 20 Sept. 1220 (RSO II 16; cf. Sar. Chs. pp. 111- 13, where first name wrongly supplied by ed. as [Robert]). Last occ. 17 Jan. 1222 (Sar. Chs. p. 121; also pd. Reg. Malmes. I 401). Perhaps related to Robert Grosseteste, bp. of Lincoln (1235-53)(1 Fasti III 3-4).

[M.] William [de Merston] preb. unident., list 65

Occ. as William archdcn. of Wilts. 15 May 1223 (RSO I 330). Presum. to be identified with Master W. de Merston, who occ. this archdcnry. 1205 x 24 (Gloucester, D. & C. Reg. A fos. 160v-161r). (fn. 8)

Stephen of Tisbury (fn. 9) preb. Axford, list 15

Can. (list 15). First occ. this archdcnry. 15 Aug. 1226 (RSO II 60), but not called archdcn. in valuation of Oct. 1226 x Feb. 1227 (app. 1). Occ. frequently. Last occ. 9 May 1246 (Sar. Chs. pp. 301-6). D. some time before 1 Aug. 1246 (CPR 1232-47 p. 484).

M. Roger of Buscot (fn. 10) preb. unident., list 65

Clk. of Robert Grosseteste, bp. of Lincoln (Major, 'Familia' pp. 222-3). Occ. 5 July 1246 (Sar. Chs. p. 308), and presum. to be identified with R. archdcn. of Wilts. who occ. 2 July 1246 (Westminster Domesday fos. 388v-389r). Made death-bed gift to St Frideswide's, Oxford, n.d. (Cart. St Frideswide I 295). D. before Michaelmas 1247 (Cart. Hosp. St. John II nos. 489-90), and had been succeeded as archdcn. by 23 Aug. (below).

M. Nicholas of York preb. unident., list 65

First occ. as M. Nicholas archdcn. of Wilts., papal disp. to hold addit. benefice, 23 Aug. 1247 (Reg. Innoc. IV no. 3202, cal. CPL I 236). Occ. with full name and title 3 March 1252 (Cart. Bradenstoke no. 10). Occ. several times before last occ., as N. archdcn. of Wilts., after 11 March 1257 (Sar. Chs. p. 328). (fn. 11) Not to be confused with bp.'s official of same name, preb. Grantham Australis (list 32), with whom he occ. 2 March 1252/3 (IV/C.4/33).

M. Roger de la Grene (fn. 12) ? preb. Yetminster Prima, list 63

Can. (list 63). Still can. after 11 March 1257 (Sar. Chs. p. 328). First occ. this archdcnry. 27 Dec. 1258 (C. 402-3). Occ. several times. Last occ. 12 March 1271 (Close R. 1268-72 p. 331).

M. Henry of Braunstone preb. Charminster, list 36

Can. (list 36). Occ. this archdcnry. three times: 28 March 1275 (Rubrum fos. 147r-148r); 30 Aug. 1278 (Reg. G. Giffard II 99); 8 March 1279 (Sar. Stats. p. 110, also pd. Cart. St Nich. p. 46). Archdcn. of Dorset by 1 Aug. 1281 (list 7).

M. Ralph le Waleys of Brightwell (fn. 13) preb. Fordington, list 31

M. Ralph of Leicester (fn. 14) preb. unident., list 65

Le Waleys can., occ. 28 March 1275 (list 31). Son of a subdcn., disp. by pope to hold this archdcnry. 13 Feb. 1283 (Les Registres de Martin IV, ed. F. Olivier-Martin (Bibliothéque des Ecoles Fran çaises d'Athénes et de Rome, 2nd ser. xvi, 1901-35 no. 181, cal. CPL I 466). But archdcnry. prob. already in hands of M. Ralph of Leicester, who occ. only once, 24 June 1283 (Reg. Malmes. II 249-50), and seems to have been chanc. of Cambridge univ. 1289 (Biog. Camb. p. 362). M. Ralph le Waleys occ. this archdcnry. 27 Apr. 1284 (C. 518) and 28 May 1284 (C. 523, cf. app. 2), 4 June 1286 (CPR 1281-92 p. 249), 11 July 1287 (HMC Var. Coll. I 355). Precentor by 4 Apr. 1288 (list 3).

No archdcn. of Wilts. occ. 10 May 1288 (app. 3).

M. William of Abingdon preb. unident., list 65

First occ., being ord. den. Sept. 1288 (Reg. Pecham II 9). Occ. several times. Last occ. 14 Feb. 1295/6 (will of bp. Nicholas Longespee, EHR xv (1900) 525). Precentor by 17 Dec. 1296 (list 3).

M. Richard de Sotwell (fn. 15) preb. unident., list 65

Can. (lists 21, 65). First occ. this archdcnry. before 19 Oct. 1299 (Reg. Gandavo I 340, second year of pontificate). Last occ. 16 Feb. 1303, going to Rome with Walter de Langeton, bp. of Coventry and Lichfield (CPR 1301-7 p. 115). D. by 25 Nov. 1303 (Reg. Gandavo II 627).

Footnotes

  • 1. Kealey p. 254 n. 53 argues that this charter must date from after Sept. 1128, the death of Ranulph Flambard, preb. of Heytesbury, but Flambard had vacated his prebs. in London and Lincoln by the 1110s, 1 Fasti I 79, III 100.
  • 2. For notes on his career and family, see C. N. L. Brooke in Cambridge Hist. Jnl. xii (1956) 16 n. 53; GFL pp. 538-9.
  • 3. For a note on his career, see GFL p. 530.
  • 4. M. Vincent occ. as official and as vice-archdcn. of Wilts. c. 1190, list 66.
  • 5. Manche, France; see L. C. Loyd, Origins of some Anglo-Norman Families (Harleian Soc. ciii, 1951) p. 93. For his career, see R. V. Turner, Men Raised from the Dust (Philadelphia, 1988) pp. 20-34.
  • 6. Oxford Master; cf. Biog. Ox. II 830. M. Philip de Lucy (cf. 1 Fasti III 19) occ. as [?vice-]archdcn. of Wilts. before 1231/2, PRO E.40/4821 (ex inf. N. Vincent).
  • 7. Wrongly given as archdcn. of Salisbury in inferior ed. of Nova Const. of 7 Jan. 1213/14, Sar. Chs. p. 77; cf. correct version, Sar. Stats. p. 52.
  • 8. Temp. Henry [Blont] abbot of Gloucester, Heads of Relig. Houses p. 53.
  • 9. Parson of Tisbury, Wilts., and son and heir of Adam of Easton, Cart. Bradenstoke no. 261; cf. Trowbridge, Wilts. RO, Ailesbury Savernake deeds 9/15/17, for his land in Easton, and CPR 1232-47 p. 484 for Tisbury. Studied under Edmund of Abingdon; for his career, and his relationship to Stephen de Lexington, abbot of Clairvaux, see Biog. Ox. III 1926.
  • 10. Berks.; 'Burwardiscote', see Place Names Berks. II (English Place-Name Soc. 1, 1974) pp. 353-4; he made a gift in Abingdon to the abbey, cart. Abingdon: Bodl., MS Lyell 15 fos. 74r, 132r-133r. An Oxford Master; for his career, see Biog. Ox. I 322.
  • 11. Here the editor has extended his name N[icholas de Selby], following Le Neve-Hardy; for M. Nicholas of Selby, can. of York c. 1240-1249, see York Minster Fasti II 95; and for Nicholas of York, can. of York c. 1241, see ibid. p. 96 and I 65.
  • 12. He gave property in Thornhill to Bradenstoke priory, Cart. Bradenstoke no. 67.
  • 13. alias Aunfrey, see list 3.
  • 14. D.C.L. by 1313; for his career, see Biog. Camb. p. 362.
  • 15. ? Sotwell, Berks.
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