- Thomas Beckington
Infobox bishopbiog
name =Thomas Beckington
religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Bath and Wells
Title =Bishop of Bath and Wells
Period = 1443–1465
Predecessor = John Stafford
Successor =Robert Stillington
ordination =
bishops =
post =Dean of Arches
date of birth = about 1390
place of birth =
date of death =14 January 1465
place of death =Wells Thomas Beckington (also spelt Beckyngton) (c. 1390 – 14 January 1465) was the
Bishop of Bath and Wells and 'King's Secretary' in Medieval England.Life
He was born at
Beckington inSomerset , and was educated at Winchester andNew College, Oxford . Having entered the Church he held many ecclesiastical appointments, and became dean of the Arches in 1423; [CathEncy|wstitle=Thomas of Beckington] then devoting his time to secular affairs he was sent on an embassy toCalais in 1439, and toJohn IV, count of Armagnac , in 1442.At this time Beckington was acting as secretary to Henry VI, and soon after his return in 1443 he was appointed
Lord Privy Seal until 1444.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 95] He was consecratedbishop of Bath and Wells on 13 October 1443.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 228] The bishop erected many buildings in Wells and elsewhere, probably altering the rectory atSutton Courtenay inBerkshire (nowOxfordshire ), an early preferment. The most important results of Beckington's missions to France were oneLatin journal, written by himself, referring to the embassy to Calais; and another, written by one of his attendants, relating to the journey to Armagnac. He died atWells on 14 January 1465.Beckington is buried at
Wells Cathedral and has an unusual monument there. When his tomb was opened during Victorian times he was found to be buried very simply (as depicted on his tomb) and the only ornament that he was buried with was his Bishop's ring - this was removed and is now in a museum.Beckington played a leading role as architect of the legal aspects of Henry VI's foundation of
Eton College in 1440; he is commemorated in the name of the school's central refectory, 'Bekynton'.Works
Beckington's own journal is published in the "Proceedings of the Privy Council", vol. v., edited by N. H. Nicolas (1835); and the other journal in the "Official Correspondence of Thomas Bekynton", edited by G. Williams for the
Rolls Series (1872), which contains many interesting letters. This latter journal has been translated into English by N. H. Nicolas (1828). See G. G. Perry, "Bishop Beckington and Henry VI.", in the "English Historical Review" (1894).Notes
References
*
*External links
* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/tbeckington.html Royal Berkshire History: Thomas Beckington (1390-1465)]
Persondata
NAME= Beckington, Thomas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Beckyngton, Thomas
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Lord Privy Seal; Bishop of Bath and Wells
DATE OF BIRTH=about 1390
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=14 January 1465
PLACE OF DEATH=Wells
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