Archbishops of Canterbury.
Stigand1052–1070
Lanfranc1070–1089
Anselm1093–1109
Ralph of Escures1114–1122
William of Corbeil1123–1136
Theobald1139–1161
Thomas à Beckett1162–1170
Richard1174–1184
Baldwin1185–1190
Reginald Fitz Joscelin1191
Hubert Walter1193–1205
Stephen Langton1207–1229
Richard le Grand1229–1231
Edmund Rich1234–1240
Boniface of Savoy1245–1270
Robert Kilwardby1273–1278
John Peckham1279–1292
Robert Winchelsey1294–1313

Next to Canterbury came the important bishopric of London. The latter was a very large and powerful diocese, originating first at Dorchester A.D. 634, dividing into two sees, Winchester and Sherborne, A.D. 705, which were further subdivided, the latter into Sherborne and Wells, and the Winchester see into Selsey and Ramsbury (Corvinensis); all reuniting in 1075 into the powerful bishopric of Old Sarum, eventually removed to Salisbury, 1218. Thus it will be seen that Winchester and Sherborne were the chief bishoprics, the others being offshoots of later creation.


The Bishops of Salisbury commenced under Herman (died 1077), previously known as Bishop of Sherborne (Scirburniensis).

Bishops of Winchester who were Chancellors of England.
William Giffard, introduced the Cistercian Monks into England1100–1129
Nicholas Ely1268–1282
John Sandall1316–1320
Adam Orlton1333–1345
William Edyngdon, first Prelate of the Order of the Garter; the Bishopsof Winchester have ever since retained this honour1345–1367
William de Wykeham. Introduced the Perpendicular architecture into England;built Winchester College and New College, Oxford; rebuilt partof his Cathedral. A great reformer of abuses1367–1404
Henry Beaufort (Cardinal) increased the St. Cross Almshouses; took aprominent part in the burning of Joan of Arc. See Shakespeare’s‘Henry VI.’1404–1447
William de Waynflete, first Provost of Eton. Founded Magdalen College,Oxford; continued his master’s (William de Wykeham’s) reformationof abuses, etc.1447–1487
Thomas Wolsey, the celebrated Cardinal Wolsey of history. Heldthe see in commendam1528–1530
Stephen Gardiner. He figures as one of the most prominent ecclesiasticsduring the reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Mary. His life ispart of the history of those times1531–1550
Chief Justices of England.
Odo of Bayeux and William Fitz Osbern, Earl of Hereford1067
William de Warren and Richard Fitz Gilbert1073
Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey, Bishop of Coutances, andRobert, Count of Mortain1078
Odo, Bishop of Bayeux1087–1088
William de St. Carileph, Bishop of Durham1088
Ranulph Flambard, Bishop of Durham1094–1100
Robert Bloett, Bishop of Lincoln1100–1107
Roger Le Poor, Bishop of Salisbury1107–1139
Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester1154–1167
Richard de Luci1154–1179
Ranulph Glanville1180–1189
Hugh, Bishop of Durham, and William, Earl of Essex1189
Hugh, Bishop of Durham, and William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely1190
William Longchamp alone1190
Walter of Coutances, Archbishop of Rouen1191–1193
Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury1194–1198
Geoffrey Fitz Peter, Earl of Essex1198–1213
Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, native of Poitiers1214–1215
Hubert de Burgh1215–1232
Stephen Segrave1232–1234
Hugh Bigot1258–1260
Hugh Le Despenser1260
Philip Basset1261
Ralph de Hengham1273–1289
Gilbert de Thornton1289–1295
Roger Brabazon1295
Chancellors of England.
Herfast, afterwards Bishop of Elmham1068
Osbern, afterwards Bishop of Exeter1070–1074
Osmund, afterwards Bishop of Salisbury1074–1078
Maurice, afterwards Bishop of London1078–1083
William de Beaufoe, afterwards Bishop of Thetford1083–1085
William Giffard1086–1090
Robert Bloett1090
Walderic1093
William Giffard1094–1101
Roger Le Poor1101–1103
William Giffard1103–1104
Walderic1104
Ranulph1108–1123
Geoffrey Rufus1124–1135
Roger Le Poor1135–1139
Philip1139
Thomas à Beckett1154–1162
Ralph de Warneville1173–1181
Geoffrey, the King’s son1181–1189
William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely1189–1197
Eustace, Bishop of Ely1197–1199
Hubert Walter1199–1205
Walter Grey1205–1213
Peter des Roches1213–1214
Walter Grey1214
Richard de Marisco1214–1226
Ralph Neville1226–1244
Walter de Merton1261
Nicolas de Ely1263
Thomas Cantelupe1265
Walter Giffard1265
Godfrey Giffard1267
Richard Middleton1269–1272
Walter de Merton1272
Robert Burnell1273–1292
John Langton1292
William Greenfield1302
William of Hamilton1304
Ralph Baldock1307

The witnesses were chosen from the King’s chief officers, with a few local magnates. This will sometimes be a valuable guide to locality when the county is not named. But as a rule the name of the county is written on the margin, and also the name of the place, together with a brief index of the contents of the charter.

CHAPTER VIII.
PARISH REGISTERS.

The study of parish registers is quite apart from that of old deeds. The writing of the former begins at the period where the latter usually end, for deeds written in the seventeenth century are regarded by the antiquary as ‘modern’; but then comes the most difficult handwriting of all to decipher, because the old race of scholarly clerks had died out and been replaced by less educated men.