Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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Bishop of Hereford is in Bishop. See Hereford Cathedral.
In 676 Bishop Putta was appointed Bishop of Hereford. There is some debate among historians as to whether there were two Putta's and whether the Putta that was Bishop of Hereford was a different person to the Putta that was Bishop of Rochester.
Between 1013 and 1016 Bishop Athelstan was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
In March 1056 Bishop Leofgar of Hereford was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
Chronicon ex Chronicis by Florence and John of Worcester. 24th June 1070. The feast of St. John the Baptist being near, earl Asbiorn sailed to Denmark with the fleet which had wintered in the Humber; but his brother Sweyn outlawed him, because he had accepted money from king William, to the great regret of the Danes. Edric, surnamed the Forester, a man of the most resolute courage, of whom we have spoken before, was reconciled with king William. After this, the king summoned from Normandy Lanfranc, abbot of Caen, a Lombard by birth, a man of unbounded learning, master of the liberal arts, and of both sacred and secular literature, and of the greatest prudence in counsel and the administration of worldly affairs; and on the day of the Assumption of St. Mary, appointed him archbishop of Canterbury, causing him to be consecrated at Canterbury on the feast of St. John the Baptist, being Sunday. He was consecrated by Giso, bishop of Wells, and Walter, bishop of Hereford, who were both ordained at Rome by pope Nicholas, when Aldred, archbishop of York, received the pallium,—for he evaded being ordained by Stigand, who then held the archbishopric of Canterbury, knowing him not to have received the pallium canonically. Bishop Heriman, who had already transferred the seat of his bishopric from Sherbourne to Salisbury, also assisted at his consecration, with some others. Afterwards, Lanfranc consecrated Thomas, archbishop of York. The suit of the reverend Wulfstan, bishop of Worcester, was again prosecuted, there being now a bishop who could advocate the cause of the church of York; and the affair was, by the aid of God's grace, decided at a council held at a place called Pedred, before the king, archbishop Lanfranc, and the bishops, abbots, earls, and lords of all England. All the groundless assertions by which Thomas and his abettors strove to humble the church of Worcester, and reduce her to subjection and servitude to the church of York, were, by God's just judgement, entirely refuted and negatived by written documents, so that Wulfstan not only recovered the possessions he claimed, but, by God's goodness, and the king's assent, regained for his see all the immunities and privileges freely granted to it by its first founders, the holy king Ethered, Oshere, sub-king of the Hwiccas, and the other kings of Mercia, Cenred, Ethelbald, Offa, Kenulf, Edward the Elder, Athelstan, Edmund, Edred, and Edgar.
On 29th December 1079 Robert the Lotharingian was consecrated Bishop of Hereford by Archbishop Lanfranc at Canterbury Cathedral.
Around December 1102 Bishop Reynelm was nominated to be Bishop of Hereford. King Henry invested Reynelm with the the temporalities of the see. This led to a dispute with Archbishop Anselm who refused to consecrate Reynelm. Reynelm refused to be consecrated by Gerard, Archbishop of York so the King exiled Reynelm.
Chronicon ex Chronicis by Florence and John of Worcester. 7th January 1121. Meanwhile, two clerks were chosen to fill sees which had been vacant for some time; namely, Richard, who was keeper of the king's seal under the chancellor, and Robert, who had filled the office of steward of the meat and drink in the king's household with great industry. The first of these was preferred to the see of Hereford, the latter to the see of Chester [Note. Bishop of Coventry?]. Herbert, also, a monk of Westminster, was made abbot of that monastery.
Richard, chosen bishop of Hereford on Friday the seventh of the ides [the 7th] of January, was consecrated at Lambeth on Sunday the seventeenth of the calends of February [17th January] by Ralph, archbishop of Canterbury, with the assistance of Richard, bishop of London, and the bishops, Robert of Lincoln, Arnulph of Rochester, Urban of Glamorgan, and Bernard of St. David's.
Chronicon ex Chronicis by Florence and John of Worcester. 12th June 1121. After a few days, one named Everard, attached to the king's chapel, was elected bishop of Norwich, and consecrated at Canterbury by archbishop Ralph on the second of the ides [the 12th] of June; Arnulph, bishop of Rochester, Richard, bishop of Hereford, and Robert, bishop of Coventry, having met for the purpose.
In 1130 Bishop Robert de Bethune was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
On 5th September 1148 Bishop Gilbert Foliot was consecrated Bishop of Hereford at Saint-Omer by Archbishop Theobald.
On 22nd December 1163 Bishop Robert Melun was consecrated Bishop of Hereford by Archbishop Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.
In 1186 Bishop William de Vere was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
In 1200 Bishop Giles de Braose 7th Baron Braose 5th Baron Bramber was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
Between 21st August 1234 and 30th August 1234 Bishop Ralph de Maidstone was elected Bishop of Hereford.
On 12th November 1234 Bishop Ralph de Maidstone was consecrated Bishop of Hereford by Archbishop Edmund Rich at Canterbury Cathedral.
On 14th June 1275 Bishop Thomas Cantilupe was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
On 8th September 1275 Bishop Thomas Cantilupe was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
On 1st October 1282 Bishop Richard de Swinfield was elected Bishop of Hereford.
On 7th March 1283 Bishop Richard de Swinfield was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
On 22nd May 1317 Bishop Adam Orleton was consecrated Bishop of hereford.
In 1327 Bishop Thomas Charleton was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
On 17th March 1360 Archbishop William Courtenay was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
On 12th March 1375 Bishop John Gilbert was translated to Bishop of Hereford.
In 1448 Bishop Richard Beauchamp was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
On 22nd June 1492 Bishop Edmund Tuchet was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
In 1504 Bishop Richard Mayew was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
On 20th August 1535 Bishop Edward Fox was elected Bishop of Hereford.
On 26th May 1553 Bishop John Harley was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
On 1st March 1554 Bishop Robert Parfew aka Warton was translated to Bishop of Hereford.
On 19th March 1554 Bishop John Harley was deprived of his see of Bishop of Hereford for being a Protestant, and because he was married.
On 1st April 1554 the Lord Chancellor Bishop Edmund "Bloody" Bonner of London, assisted by Bishop Stephen Gardiner, Bishop Nicholas Ridley and Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall, consecrated seven bishops at Southwark Cathedral:
Bishop George Cotes was consecrated Bishop of Chester.
Bishop Gilbert Bourne was consecrated Bishop of Bath and Wells.
Bishop James Brooks was consecrated Bishop of Gloucester.
Bishop Maurice Griffiths was consecrated Bishop of Rochester.
Bishop Henry Morgan was consecrated Bishop of St David's.
Bishop John White was consecrated Bishop of Lincoln.
Bishop Robert Parfew aka Warton was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 1st April 1554. [The first day of April my lord chancellor did consecrate six new bishops at St. Mary Overy's, before the high altar; and a goodly mass was said. And when all] was done thay yede unto my lord ch[ancellor's,] for ther was as grett a dener as youe ha[ve seen.] Thes be the bysshopes names that wher consecrated, [doctor] Whyt, warden of Wynchastur, the bysshope of Ly[ncoln]; doctur Borne, bysshope of Bathe; doctur Morgan, bishop of sant Davys; doctur Brokes, bysshope of Gloss [ter]; doctur Cottes, bysshope of Westtchastur; bysshope of sant Asse changyd to be bysshope of Arfford; master [Griffith] parsun of sant Magnus bysshope of Rochastur.
In 1559 Bishop John Scory was elected Bishop of Hereford.
In 1634 Bishop Matthew Wren was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
In July 1636 Bishop George Coke was translated to Bishop of Hereford.
In 1661 Bishop Herbert Croft was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
On 6th January 1661 Bishop Nicholas Monck was consecrated Bishop of Hereford.
John Evelyn's Diary. 20th February 1676. Dr. Gunning, Bishop of Ely, preached before the King from St. John xx. 21, 22, 23, chiefly against an anonymous book, called "Naked Truth", a famous and popular treatise against the corruption in the Clergy, but not sound as to its quotations, supposed to have been the Bishop of Hereford and was answered by Dr. Turner, it endeavoring to prove an equality of order of Bishop and Presbyter.
In 1713 Bishop Philip Bisse was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
In 1723 Bishop Henry Egerton was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
In 1787 Bishop John Harley was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
In 1808 Bishop John Luxmoore was translated to Bishop of Hereford.
On 20th May 1832 Bishop Edward Grey was consecrated as Bishop of Hereford.
In 1868 Bishop James Atlay was appointed Bishop of Hereford.
In January 1895 Bishop John Percival was elected Bishop of Hereford by Archibald Philip Primrose 5th Earl Rosebery 1st Earl Midlothian.
Bishop Peter Acquablanca was elected Bishop of Hereford.
Bishop James Beauclerk was appointed Bishop of Hereford.