Archdeacons: Wells

LIST 11 ARCHDEACONS OF WELLS

ARCHDEACONRY

Archdcnry. covered central area of dioc. and in 1291 comprised the deaneries of Frome, Cary, Marston, Axbridge, Ilchester and Pawlett (Taxatio pp. 196-8).

Churches of Huish and South Brent united to archdcnry. of Wells by bp. Reginald, established by bp. Savaric as one preb., to be attached to archdcnry. of Wells in perpetuity, Lent 1195 × 8 Aug. 1205 (EEA X nos. 251-2). Thomas of Earley was the first holder of the preb., which was held thereafter by successive archdcns. of Wells (list 43).

Valuation 1291 £66 13s 4d, with preb. Huish and Brent (Taxatio p. 199b). Pension in church of East Brent for sequestrations 1291 £2 (ibid. p. 197b).

ARCHDEACONS

Eustace

First occ. as archdcn. June/July 1141 × c. 1142 (EEA X no. 21) and c. 1143 × 1147 (ibid. no. 10, for which see below, app. 1). Occ. several times. Last occ. 24 June 1151 (EEA X no. 43) and after 24 June 1151 (ibid. XVIII no. 128). Occ. with territorial title c. 22 March 1136 × 4 Nov. 1159, together with Martin archdcn. of Bath and Hugh of Tournai archdcn. beyond the Parrett (ibid. X no. 37). (fn. 1) Occ. on other occasions together with Martin and Hugh [of Tournai] archdcns. (ibid. nos. 10, 21, 24; Cart. Athelney no. 187). (fn. 2) Not likely to be identified with M. Eustace, who occ. in bp.'s circle, prob. can., before 31 Aug. 1166 and c. 1174, or with M. E-, can. before 31 Aug. 1166 (unident. preb., list 67).

Robert

First occ. prob. before 4 Nov. 1159 (EEA X nos. 25, 45; cf. no. 26). (fn. 3) Occ. several times. Last occ., as R. archdcn. of Wells, after bp. Robert's d. on 31 Aug. 1166 (Cart. Bruton no. 105). Occ. with territorial title on several occasions (e.g., ibid.; EEA X nos. 27, 48; Cal. I 23). Parson of Over Stowey (Som.), presum. d. before c. 1171 (Cart. St Mark's no. 235 and p. 274).

Thomas of Earley (fn. 4) alias Agnellus (fn. 5)

Can. of Wells, prob. preb. Whitchurch, before 1170 (list 62), appd. archdcn. by kg. Henry II, s.v., so after 31 Aug. 1166 (Mansi, Concilia XXI 1090 = Jaffé no. 14130). First occ. as Thomas archdcn. 1168, in connection with Somerton, within this archdcnry. (Taunton, Som. Record Office DD/TB Box 20/4 pp. 14-15); (fn. 6) as Thomas archdcn. of Bath c. March 1170 (Cal. Ch. Rolls IV 184 = R. W. Eyton, Court, Household and Itinerary of King Henry II (1878) p. 135), and as Thomas new archdcn. of Bath c. June 1170 (Materials for Becket VII 311 (no. 673)); in office for some time before 28 Sept. 1170 (PR 17 Hen. II p. 24; cf. Cal. Ch. Rolls III 378). Occ. many times. Last occ. 29 Sept. 1194 × 28 Sept. 1195 (PR 6 Ric. I p. 193). Called Thomas of Earley several times, e.g. c. 1174 (Mon. Ang. IV 400 (xi)) and 1181 × 3 July 1183 (EEA X no. 91). Occ. with territorial title of Wells several times (e.g. ibid. nos. 157-66; Cal. I 486). Kinsman of bp. Reginald (EEA X no. 91); uncle ('avunculus') of William of Earley, founder of Buckland priory, Som. (Cart. Buckland nos. 1-2); brother of Stephen of Tournai (Cal. I 486; cf. Mansi, Concilia XXI 1090 = Jaffé no. 14130). Also can. of Tournai, where he was commem. 14 Apr., his obit founded by his brother Stephen of Tournai (Vleeschouwers pp. 531-2, 535-7). Writer of sermons, called 'Magister Thomas Agnellus' (Sharpe, Handlist no. 1689).

Simon son of Robert alias de Camera alias of Wells

In entourage of abp. Hubert by Apr. 1194, and occ. frequently, last after Feb. 1198 (EEA III nos. 449, 559; also ibid. nos. 333, 335 etc.). Royal clerk (Tout, Chapters I 115). First occ. as Simon de Camera archdcn. of Wells 15 June 1198 (Ancient Chs. Royal and Private prior to A.D. 1200, ed. J. H. Round (PRS ×, 1888) p. 109 = L. Landon, The Itinerary of King Richard I (PRS n.s. xiii, 1935) p. 129; cf. EEA III nos. 400, 519). Papal conf. of his possession of archdcnry. 26 June 1199 (Letters of Innocent III no. 145; cf. ibid. no. 220). Occ. frequently, in royal service (e.g. Cartae Antiquae I, ed. L. Landon (PRS n.s. xvii, 1938) nos. 101, 103, 131, 146 etc.). Also provost of Beverley by 1202 (Beverley Fasti p. 5); preb. of Salisbury by Apr. or May 1193 (1 Fasti IV 82); preb. of London (ibid. I 33). Bp. of Chichester, el. 4 × 9 Apr. 1204, cons. 11 July (ibid. V 3).

Hugh of Wells (fn. 7)

Royal chancery clerk (Tout, Chapters I 183 n., VI 3; Acta of Hugh of Wells pp. xxviii-xxix). Can., occ. Lent 1195 × 1 May 1204 (see preb. Huish, list 43). First occ. as archdcn. of Wells 25 Apr. 1204 (Rot. Chart. p. 129b; cf. ibid. p. 127a of 1 May and Rot. de Obl. et Fin. p. 229). Occ. as H. archdcn. of Wells at el. of bp. Jocelin, early 1206 (below, app. 2 no. 3). Also preb. of Lincoln, royal gr. 25 March 1203 (1 Fasti III 129); preb. of London (ibid. I 48). Still archdcn. of Wells when el. bp. of Lincoln, before 14 Apr. 1209, temps. shortly after el., cons. at Melun 20 Dec. 1209, d. 7 Feb. 1235 (ibid. III 3; Letters of Innocent III no. 851). (fn. 8) Brother of bp. Jocelin (Robinson, SHE pp. 156-9; cf. Cal. Ch. Rolls I 131).

M. William of Bardney (fn. 9)

Clerk of abp. Stephen Langton from before 1213; prob. can. of Wells, ? c. 1213, and occ. without title after 14 Jan. 1215 (preb. Huish, list 43). First occ. as archdcn. of Wells, already sworn into office, 11 July 1215 (Cal. I 67; cf. Reg. Antiq. Linc. II no. 354, dated ibid. X pp. xl-xli, and Acta S. Langton nos. 38, 40, 43). Occ. several times. Also preb. of Lincoln by 23 Sept. 1219 (1 Fasti III 82). Papal disp. for illegitimacy at request of abp. Stephen Langton 18 March 1221, his father having been a clerk in minor orders (CPL I 79 = Reg. Hon. III no. 3189). Last occ., as William archdcn. of Wells, 26 July 1231 (Cal. I 28).

M. William of Bitton I

Subdean, last occ. 1 Dec. 1236 (list 7). First occ. as archdcn. before 7 May 1238 (Cart. Bruton no. 205; cf. Adam de Domerham II 602-3, where he occ. 4 Nov. 1239, acting on papal mandate of 29 Jan. 1238), as William archdcn. of Wells 12 Aug. 1241 (Cal. I 526), and with full name and title 13 Jan. 1241/2 (ibid. pp. 358-9). Occ. frequently. Archdcn. of Wells when el. bp. 25 Feb. 1248 (ibid. II 557 (no. 53)), cons. 14 June, temps. 20 July (list 1). Occ. as archdcn. of Wells 1 March 1248 (Cal. I 80).

? John of Bitton

Can. by 1 Aug. 1244 (unident. preb., list 67); provost of Combe; last occ. 13 Jan. 1269 (list 69). Referred to as having been archdcn., res. before 12 Dec. 1249 (Cal. I 79). As both Bath and Taunton were occupied at this time, he was perhaps archdcn. of Wells for a short time, although he was not in office on 13 Apr. 1248 when he occ. without title in company with an unnamed archdcn. of Wells [? M. William of Bitton I] (ibid. p. 81).

Peter Chaceporc (fn. 10)

Keeper of wardrobe 28 Oct. 1241 - 24 Dec. 1254, a Poitevin relative of kg. Henry III (Tout, Chapters I 260-78, VI 25). Preb. of London, gr. 13 Oct. 1242 (1 Fasti I 60-1); preb. of Chichester, gr. 23 Apr. 1244 (ibid. V 64-5); preb. of Exeter, gr. 21 Jan. 1245 (CPR 1232-47 p. 448). Recommended by kg. for bpric. of Wells Feb. 1243, but M. Roger of Salisbury had already been el. (Chart. Bath II 44-6 (nos. 190-4); list 1). Possibly had royal gr. of archdcnry. of Wells s.v. 1248. First occ. as archdcn. of Wells 10 Feb. 1249 (CPR 1247-58 p. 37). Also treas. of Lincoln, gr. 22 March 1254 (1 Fasti III 20, 51, 114); chanc. of Exeter (Rot. Gravesend p. 169). Last occ. 18 Dec. 1254 (Close Rolls 1253-4 p. 285). D. at Boulogne 24 Dec. 1254 (Chron. Maj. V 483, 484).

William of Bitton II

Can., from before c. 13 Dec. 1262 (unident. preb., list 67). First occ. as archdcn. of Wells and rector of Middlezoy (Som.) 20 Apr. 1263 (Chart. Glastonbury I 27- 8). Archdcn. of Wells when el. bp. 10 Feb. 1267 (Chart. Bath II 67-8 (nos. 320- 3)), temps. 3 or 4 March, cons. shortly after 17 Apr. (list 1).

M. Godfrey Giffard (fn. 11)

Can., adm. 3 Sept. 1263 (preb. Holcombe, list 42; transf. to preb. Dultingcote 13 May 1264, list 37). Rector of Chedzoy (Som.) by 30 Sept. 1264 (Chart. Glastonbury I 28). Royal gr. of archdcnry. of Wells, s.v., 3 March, repeated 28 March 1267 (CPR 1266-72 pp. 43, 49-50). Also can. of York by 1 Apr. 1260 (1 Fasti VI 69); preb. of Beverley, royal gr. 5 Nov. 1265 (Beverley Fasti pp. 47-8); can. of Exeter and archdcn. of Barnstaple, coll. 8 Nov. 1265, res. by 24 May 1267 (Reg. Bronescombe II nos. 603, 655); archdcn. of York, coll. 28 Apr. 1267 (1 Fasti VI 35). Royal chanc. 1267-8 (Tout, Chapters VI 5). Bp. of Worcester, el. between 2 May and 24 May 1268, temps. 24 May, cons. 23 Sept., d. 26 Jan. 1302 (1 Fasti II 101-2, but for date of temps. see M. Howell, Regalian Right in England (1962) p. 231). (fn. 12) Younger brother of Walter Giffard, bp. of Bath and Wells (1265-66), abp. of York (1266-79) (Reg. Giffard (Worc.) II 57; 1 Fasti VI 6; above, list 1).

S-

Occ. as archdcn. of Wells once only, 7 July 1269 (CPR 1266-72 p. 351). There are only two known cans. with initial S. who might have held archdcnry. in this period: Simon de Micham, who first occ. as can. 19 Sept. 1256 and became dean of Salisbury 11 July 1287 (unident. preb., list 67), and Stephen of Chichester, who occ. as can. once, in 1270s (ibid.).

M. Thomas of Bitton

Prec., res. by March 1268 (list 4). First occ. as M. Thomas archdcn. of Wells 1 Oct. 1270 (Cal. I 109), and with full name and title 21 Sept. 1273 (Chart. Glastonbury II 482 = Cal. I 110-11). Occ. frequently. Dean, el. 15 Nov. 1284 (list 3).

M. Walter de Haselshawe

Can. by 8 June 1283 (unident. preb., list 67). First occ. as archdcn. of Wells 2 Sept. 1286 (CPR 1281-92 p. 251). Occ. frequently. Last occ. 27 July 1295 (Reg. Pontissara I 198). Dean by 17 Feb. 1296 (list 3).

M. Peter de Insula (fn. 13)

Archdcn. of Exeter, occ. 28 Sept. 1294 (CPR 1292-1301 p. 91). Can. of Wells and bp.'s official, occ. 11 Sept. 1295 (unident. preb., list 67). First occ. as archdcn. of Wells 11 Dec. 1295 (CPR 1292-1301 p. 213). Occ. frequently. Royal clerk 28 May 1299 (ibid. p. 420). D. 24 Jan. 1303 (Cal. I 164).