Walter of Merton, bishop of Rochester, chancellor (d.1277)
- Biography
- Walter was born around 1205 to William Cook (d.c. 1245) of Basingstoke, Hampshire, and his wife, Christina Fitzace (d.1238). He had seven sisters (one called Agnes) and was known in early life as Walter of Basingstoke. He received a small estate from his mother after her death. He was educated at Merton, Surrey, by Augustinian canons from where he took his name. He was a clerk and was recommended for a subdiaconate around 1236, at which time it was said that he was about to be ordained by Robert Grosseteste, bishop of Lincoln (d.1253). By 1238, Walter was in royal service and served for four years in the chancery of Bishop Nicholas of Durham (d.1257). Around 1240 he had founded a hospital at Basingstoke. He held benefices in Sedgefield and Staindrop in co. Durham, Haltwhistle in Northumberland, Benningbrough in Yorkshire, Branston in Lincolnshire, and Potton in Bedfordshire. By 1247 he was again in royal administration and was probably a member of the chancellor's household, becoming protonotary of the chancery. In 1259, he held the prebend of Kentish Town at St Paul's and a prebend at Exeter; he later exchanged Kentish Town for Finsbury in London, and held two prebends at Salisbury, one at Lincoln and the archdeaconry of Bath. He became royal chancellor in July 1261, which he lost under the de Montfort regime. He accompanied Henry III to Amiens in January 1264. He founded a college of priests at Malden, Surrey and established scholars at Oxford, which became Merton College (1274). Walter was once again chancellor after Henry's death in 1272 and in July 1274, was elected bishop of Rochester. He died in an accident while fording a river on 27 October 1277, probably at Saleby, Lincolnshire, and was buried in Rochester Cathedral.
http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18612
- Floruits
- 1263 × 1263
- Related Place
- Rochester