Ranulf of Wareham
Encyclopedia
Ranulf of Wareham was a medieval Bishop of Chichester
.
before becoming prior
of that foundation by 1217. Nothing else is known of his ancestry or origins except that he either came from Wareham, Dorset
or Warham, Norfolk
. He is referred to as magister, showing that he had a university education. He acted as Bishop John de Gray
of Norwich's agent during Gray's frequent absences from his see, and after Gray died in 1214, King John of England
appointed him the royal custodian of the diocese during the vacancy. With the election of Pandulph
to Norwich in 1215, Ranulf was once more left in charge of the diocese while the bishop went to Rome
. As the agent for John de Gray, he did most of the administrative work in the diocese.
Ranulf was captured by the baronial forces in May 1216, and was not released until August 1217. He owed his capture to his service to one of the main supporters of King John. However, at some point in 1217 he was elected by the cathedral chapter
of Norwich to the office of prior
. It is unclear if he was ever formally installed as prior before his election as bishop of Chichester. His elevation to the episcopate was due to the influence of the papal legate Cardinal Guala Bicchieri
.
Ranulf was nominated to the see of Chichester about 17 December 1217, and was consecrated on 7 January 1218. His election was a rare example of a monk being chosen as bishop by a non-monastic cathedral chapter. He mainly occupied himself with diocesan affairs, although he did journey to Rome in 1218 to negotiate about the payment of tribute on the king's behalf.
Ranulf died on 14 September or 15 September in 1222, after having been paralyzed for some time. His death was commemorated on 15 September. His bones may have been found in 1829 in Chichester Cathedral
.
Bishop of Chichester
The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
.
Life
Ranulf was a monk of Norwich CathedralNorwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral is a cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Formerly a Catholic church, it has belonged to the Church of England since the English Reformation....
before becoming prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of that foundation by 1217. Nothing else is known of his ancestry or origins except that he either came from Wareham, Dorset
Wareham, Dorset
Wareham is an historic market town and, under the name Wareham Town, a civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. The town is situated on the River Frome eight miles southwest of Poole.-Situation and geography:...
or Warham, Norfolk
Warham, Norfolk
Warham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated about inland from the north Norfolk coast, south-east of the town of Wells-next-the-Sea and north-west of the city of Norwich....
. He is referred to as magister, showing that he had a university education. He acted as Bishop John de Gray
John de Gray
John de Gray was Bishop of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk, as well as being elected Archbishop of Canterbury, but was never confirmed as archbishop.-Life:...
of Norwich's agent during Gray's frequent absences from his see, and after Gray died in 1214, King John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
appointed him the royal custodian of the diocese during the vacancy. With the election of Pandulph
Pandulph
Pandulf Masca was a Roman ecclesiastical politician, papal legate to England and bishop of Norwich.-Historical career:...
to Norwich in 1215, Ranulf was once more left in charge of the diocese while the bishop went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. As the agent for John de Gray, he did most of the administrative work in the diocese.
Ranulf was captured by the baronial forces in May 1216, and was not released until August 1217. He owed his capture to his service to one of the main supporters of King John. However, at some point in 1217 he was elected by the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of Norwich to the office of prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
. It is unclear if he was ever formally installed as prior before his election as bishop of Chichester. His elevation to the episcopate was due to the influence of the papal legate Cardinal Guala Bicchieri
Guala Bicchieri
Guala Bicchieri was an Italian diplomat and papal official, and Cardinal. He was the papal legate in England from 1216 to 1218, and took a prominent role in the politics of England during King John’s last years and Henry III’s early minority....
.
Ranulf was nominated to the see of Chichester about 17 December 1217, and was consecrated on 7 January 1218. His election was a rare example of a monk being chosen as bishop by a non-monastic cathedral chapter. He mainly occupied himself with diocesan affairs, although he did journey to Rome in 1218 to negotiate about the payment of tribute on the king's behalf.
Ranulf died on 14 September or 15 September in 1222, after having been paralyzed for some time. His death was commemorated on 15 September. His bones may have been found in 1829 in Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
.