Ralph of Maidstone (died 1245) was a medieval

Bishop of Hereford The Bishop of Hereford is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury. The episcopal see is centred in the Hereford, City of Hereford where the bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is in the Hereford Cathedr ...

Life

Nothing is known of Maidstone's background or upbringing. Although his year of birth is unknown, he was probably born before about 1195. He earned the title of ''magister'', but what school he attended is unknown. In later life he had ties to both Oxford and Paris, so either school is a possibility for his education.Barrow "Maidstone, Ralph of" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' He was an

archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...

in the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield by 1221, and the treasurer of Lichfield Cathedral after 1223. He was also

Archdeacon of Chester The Archdeacon of Chester is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the diocese of Chester. The area in which she, or he, has statutory duties is the Archdeaconry of Chester – those duties include some pastoral care and disciplinary supervision of th ...

by 1222. He taught at Paris until 1229, when he moved to Oxford University to teach. He was named

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

of Oxford University on 22 June 1231. He was Dean of Hereford by March 1231.Barrow
Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 8: Hereford: Deans of Hereford
' At some point he wrote a commentary on Peter Lombard's theological work '' Sentences''. Maidstone's work still survives in an extract in manuscript, as London, Gray's Inn, MS 14. Maidstone was elected Bishop of Hereford between 21 August and 30 September 1234Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 250 and consecrated on 12 November 1234 by Archbishop Edmund Rich at Canterbury.Barrow
Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 8: Hereford: Bishops
' While bishop, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Provence as an escort for King Henry III of England's bride. He was also involved in Welsh affairs, for in 1235, 136 and 1237 he took part in discussions with Llywelyn ab Iorwerth. Maidstone resigned the see on 17 December 1239 and died on 27 January 1245. He joined the

Franciscan Order , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

at Oxford after his resignation, but later was a member of the Franciscan convent at Gloucester. He had begun to make arrangements to resign the see in May 1237, although a medieval chronicle ascribed the decision to injuries he suffered in 1238. The injuries were severe enough that he could not celebrate Mass. He also had made a vow while an archdeacon that he would become a friar. The Hereford Cathedral records state that he was a friar the same length of time he was a bishop. He was buried in the friary church at Gloucester. Descriptions of Maidstone's character state that he was considered devout and pious, and that he helped to build the Franciscan church at Oxford with his own hands, carrying building supplies. It may have been while doing that activity that he fell and injured himself.Moorman ''Church Life'' p. 183 footnote 2

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Maidstone, Ralph De Bishops of Hereford Deans of Hereford Archdeacons of Chester 13th-century English Roman Catholic bishops Chancellors of the University of Oxford 1245 deaths Year of birth unknown