Walter de Fulburn
Encyclopedia
Walter de Fulburn , or de Fulbourn ( died 1307 ) was a leading Irish statesman and cleric who held the offices of Bishop of Waterford
Bishop of Waterford
The Bishop of Waterford was a medieval prelate, governing the Diocese of Waterford from its creation in the 11th century until it was absorbed into the new Roman Catholic Diocese of Waterford and Lismore in the 14th century...

, Bishop of Meath and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...



He was born in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...

, to a family several of whose members played a leading part in Irish affairs. His brother Stephen de Fulbourn
Stephen de Fulbourn
Stephen de Fulbourn, Archbishop of Tuam, 1286-89.A native of Cambridgeshire, de Fulbourn was translated to Tuam by a Papal bull dated 12 July 1286, having previously been Bishop of Waterford...

  ( died 1288 ) was Walter's predecessor as Bishop of Waterford and was Archbishop of Tuam
Archbishop of Tuam
The Archbishop of Tuam is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Roman Catholic Church.-History:...

 1286-1288; their nephew Adam de Fulbourn also held several clerical and judicial offices in Ireland. Walter's first clerical appointment in Ireland was as Dean of Waterford in 1281; in 1283 he was consecrated Bishop of Meath
Bishop of Meath
The Bishop of Meath is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.-History:...

, but due to a dispute with Thomas St. Leger, never exercised the functions of a bishop. He was transferred to Waterford in 1288 and held the see until his death in December 1307.

In 1283 he became Lord Chancellor. Elrington Ball, while describing him as " a great personage " admits that he was a failure in the office. Serious complaints were made about the excessive fees being charged and that there was only one clerk in Chancery who was so ignorant that the writs issued were useless. Apparently as a result of these complaints Fulbourn stepped down as Chancellor in 1288.
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