Walter of Whithorn
Encyclopedia
Walter was Chamberlain
of Alan, Lord of Galloway
and later Bishop of Galloway
. As Alan's chamberlain, he succeeded Bishop John
after the latter's death, in 1209. His election coincided with the northern expedition of King John of England
to secure the submission of King William of Scotland
; Alan enjoyed friendly relations with the English king, the latter wishing to make use of Alan's manpower and naval resources, and so the election of Walter may have had something to do with King John.
Walter was consecrated by 2 November 1214. He appears in some records in England, as a suffragan of the Archbishop of York
, witnesses a grant to Melrose Abbey
during the reign of Alexander II of Scotland
and granted to Dryburgh Abbey
the parish church
of Sorbie
. His obituary in 1235 is noted in the Melrose Chronicle; he seems to have died in either January or February of that year.
An excavation of Whithorn Priory
during 1957-67 uncovered the remains of various senior ecclesiastical figures whose identities were not known at the time. Research funded by Historic Scotland
in 2007 led to the identification of six bishops from the bones and artefacts in the graves, Bishop Walter amongst them. The techniques employed allowed the researchers to conclude that the clerics enjoyed a diet of quality meat and fish.
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
of Alan, Lord of Galloway
Alan, Lord of Galloway
Alan Fitz Roland was the last of the MacFergus dynasty of quasi-independent Lords of Galloway. He was also hereditary Constable of Scotland.-Family:He was the son of Roland, or Lochlann, Lord of Galloway and Helen de Morville...
and later Bishop of Galloway
Bishop of Galloway
The Bishop of Galloway, also called the Bishop of Whithorn, was the eccesiastical head of the Diocese of Galloway, said to have been founded by Saint Ninian in the mid-5th century. The subsequent Anglo-Saxon bishopric was founded in the late 7th century or early 8th century, and the first known...
. As Alan's chamberlain, he succeeded Bishop John
John of Whithorn
John of Whithorn was a medieval Bishop of Galloway. His first appearance as bishop-elect is at the coronation of Richard, Cœur de Lion as King of the English at Westminster Abbey on 3 September 1189...
after the latter's death, in 1209. His election coincided with the northern expedition of King John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
to secure the submission of King William of Scotland
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
; Alan enjoyed friendly relations with the English king, the latter wishing to make use of Alan's manpower and naval resources, and so the election of Walter may have had something to do with King John.
Walter was consecrated by 2 November 1214. He appears in some records in England, as a suffragan of the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, witnesses a grant to Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
during the reign of Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
and granted to Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...
the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Sorbie
Sorbie
Sorbie is a small village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.It is located mid-way between Wigtown and Whithorn on the A714 road. Formerly served by the Wigtownshire Railway branch of the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, Sorbie once boasted a creamery some of whose produce was exported...
. His obituary in 1235 is noted in the Melrose Chronicle; he seems to have died in either January or February of that year.
An excavation of Whithorn Priory
Whithorn Priory
Whithorn Priory is located in Wigtownshire, Galloway. It was founded about the middle of the twelfth century, in the reign of David I, by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, with Gille Aldan, Bishop of Galloway, for Premonstratensian Canons, referred colloquially in Britain as the White Canons.The canons of...
during 1957-67 uncovered the remains of various senior ecclesiastical figures whose identities were not known at the time. Research funded by Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
in 2007 led to the identification of six bishops from the bones and artefacts in the graves, Bishop Walter amongst them. The techniques employed allowed the researchers to conclude that the clerics enjoyed a diet of quality meat and fish.