William of Bitton (died 1264) was a medieval English Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Life

William was probably born in Bitton in Gloucestershire.Shaw "Button, William" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' He was a relative of

Walter Giffard Walter Giffard (April 1279) was Lord Chancellor of England and Archbishop of York. Family Giffard was a son of Hugh Giffard of Boyton in Wiltshire,Greenway Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 6: York: Archbishops' a royal justice, ...

and uncle of William of Bitton II, his two successors in the office of Bishop of Bath and Wells.Greenway
Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 7: Bath and Wells: Bishops
' He was also uncle of Thomas of Bitton, precentor, archdeacon and dean of Wells,Greenway
Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 7: Bath and Wells: Deans of Wells
' and

Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. Since 30 April 2014 the ordinary has been Robert Atwell.

. William was an official of Jocelin of Wells in 1231 and was

subdean {{Unreferenced, date=June 2019 A sub-dean is a person who acts as an assistant to a dean either in church circuit as a priest or minister or an academic institution. They are, however, not a vice-dean. A vice-dean is a person who can deputize a de ...

of Wells in 1233.Greenway
Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 7: Bath and Wells: Subdeans of Wells
' He was named

Archdeacon of Wells The Archdeacon of Wells has been a senior clergy position in the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells sin the English reformation, before which it was part of the Roman Catholic Church. The post, having oversight over the archdeaconry of We ...

by 7 May 1238 and held the office until he was elected bishop.Greenway
Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 7: Bath and Wells: Archdeacons of Wells
' During the election of his predecessor, he championed the cause of the canons of Wells, who had been excluded from the election of Roger of Salisbury in 1244. William was elected about 24 February 1248 and consecrated 14 June 1248.Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 228 In 1251 he signed the proclamation of excommunication against any who did not observe the clauses of

Magna Carta (Medieval Latin for "Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called (also ''Magna Charta''; "Great Charter"), is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by the ...

dealing with ecclesiastical rights. He served King Henry III of England by going to Spain in 1253 to bring back a prospective daughter-in-law for the king. In 1257, the bishops made specific reference to William's conflict with the

Abbot of Glastonbury __NOTOC__ The Abbot of Glastonbury was the head (or abbot) of Anglo-Saxon and eventually Benedictine house of Glastonbury Abbey at Glastonbury in Somerset, England. The following is a list of abbots of Glastonbury: Abbots See also * Abbot's Ki ...

in their communications with the king. But mainly, he worked in his diocese, as he issued rules and regulations in the diocese dealing with liturgical and judicial matters for both the laity and clergy. However, he lost a long fight with the abbot of Glastonbury

Roger Forde Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

over the right of the bishop to visit and regulate the affairs of Glastonbury Abbey, and by the end of his term as bishop, the abbey was independent of the diocese in all but name. William died on 3 April 1264. He was buried in the Lady Chapel at Wells Cathedral on 8 April 1264. His tomb had disappeared by the 18th century. He should not be confused with his nephew the second

William of Bitton William of Bitton (died 1264) was a medieval English Bishop of Bath and Wells. Life William was probably born in Bitton in Gloucestershire.Shaw "Button, William" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' He was a relative of Walter Giffard ...

who was also Bishop of Bath and Wells, but who died in 1274.

Notes

Citations

References

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:William of Bitton I Bishops of Bath and Wells Archdeacons of Wells 1264 deaths Year of birth unknown 13th-century English Roman Catholic bishops People from Bitton