__NOTOC__ John the Chanter (died 1 June 1191) was a medieval Bishop of Exeter.

Life

John's exact background is unclear, though biographer John Prince refers to him as "a native" of

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

Liskeard Liskeard ( ; kw, Lyskerrys) is a small ancient stannary and market town in south-east Cornwall, South West England. It is situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Plymouth, west of the Devon border, and 12 miles (20 km) eas ...

lawyer Frederick Caunter states that he was born in Exeter, and was said to be a great-grandson of

Condor Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. They are: * The Andean condor (''Vu ...

Earl of Cornwall The title of Earl of Cornwall was created several times in the Peerage of England before 1337, when it was superseded by the title Duke of Cornwall, which became attached to heirs-apparent to the throne. Condor of Cornwall * Condor of Cornwall, ...

. He may be the same person as the John Planeta, who was a clerk of

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

's during Becket's exile, but the connection is not proven.

Antiquaries An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifacts, archaeological and historic sit ...

Thomas Duffus Hardy Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy (22 May 1804 – 15 June 1878) was an English archivist and antiquary, who served as Deputy Keeper of the Public Record Office from 1861 to 1878. Life Hardy was the third son of Major Thomas Bartholomew Price Hardy, from ...

and

John Le Neve John Le Neve (1679–1741) was an English antiquary, known for his '' Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ'' ("Feasts of the Anglican Church"), a work of English church biography which has been published in many subsequent editions. Origins He was born on 2 ...

say he was originally Sub-Dean of

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...

, though all that is known for certain is that he was elderly when he was consecrated as Bishop.Barlow "John the Chanter" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' According to antiquary

Richard Izacke Richard Izacke (16241698) of Devon was an antiquarian and lawyer who served as Chamberlain of the City of Exeter. His history, ''Antiquities of the City of Exeter'', was first published in 1677. Biography Baptised on 8 February 1624 at Ottery St ...

, John was installed Bishop of Exeter in 1184 and served for six years. He was consecrated on 5 October 1186. According to Caunter, "he appears to have been of good repute" and carried out a number of repairs to the cathedral during his short time as bishop. He was present at King

Richard I Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was ...

's coronation in 1189. John died on 1 June 1191.Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 246 He was buried in an

altar tomb A church monument is an architectural or sculptural memorial to a deceased person or persons, located within a Christian church. It can take various forms ranging from a simple commemorative plaque or mural tablet affixed to a wall, to a large and ...

under the south tower of Exeter Cathedral, which survives to this day.John the Chanter's tomb in Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral The

Caunter Caunter is a surname originating principally in the West Country in England. The name derives from Anglo-Norman ''caunter/cauntour'', "singer, one who leads the singing", or from Latin ''cantor'', referring to precentors in cathedrals or monasteries ...

family traditionally claim a connection to John, though Frederick Caunter considered this unlikely.

Citations

References

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External links

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Entry for John
in George Oliver's ''Lives of the Bishops of Exeter'' Bishops of Exeter 1191 deaths 12th-century English Roman Catholic bishops Burials at Exeter Cathedral Year of birth unknown {{England-bishop-stub