John de Winchester

infobox bishopbiog
name = John de Winchester


religion= Roman Catholic Church
See = Diocese of Moray
Title = Bishop of Moray
Period = 1435–1460
consecration = May 9, 1347, at Cambuskenneth Abbey
Predecessor = Columba de Dunbar
Successor = James Stewart
post = Chancellor of Dunkeld| ordination =
bishops =
date of birth = Unknown
place of birth = Probably Hampshire, England
date of death = death date|1460|4|1|mf=y
place of death = Probably Spynie Castle

John de Winchester (d. 1460) was a 15th century English cleric who distinguished himself as as an administrator and bishop in Scotland. Winchester was a student of canon law from 1418, graduating with a bachelorate in 1421. [McGladdery, "Winchester, John (d. 1460)"; Dowden says civil law (decrees), Dowden, "Bishops of Scotland", p. 159.]

He appears to have entered Scotland in 1424 after King James I of Scotland returned from his eighteen year period as a hostage in England; it is notable and certainly relevant that James' queen, Joan Beaufort, was the niece of Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester.McGladdery, "Winchester, John (d. 1460)".]

After entering Scotland, James was chaplain and secretary to the king, who bestowed on Winchester Alyth in Angus and helped him become Chancellor of Dunkeld. [McGladdery, "Winchester, John (d. 1460)"; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 111.] Winchester was out of Scotland in 1432, attending the Council of Basel on behalf of King James; he was also Clerk of the Register in this year.

He was Dean of Aberdeen in 1431, [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 8.] and was provided as Treasurer of the diocese of Glasgow sometime in 1431, but was not able to take up this position. [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 165.] However, he did become Provost of the Collegiate Church of Lincluden between 1434 and 1436. [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 364.]

Winchester's services to the king were rewarded further in November 1435 when, after the death of Columba de Dunbar, he was elected as Bishop of Moray. [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 215.] He was not, however, consecrated until May 9, 1437, a few months after the death of King James; his consecration took place at Cambuskenneth Abbey. [ Dowden, "Bishops of Scotland", pp. 160-1; McGladdery, "Winchester, John (d. 1460)"; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 215.]

After becoming bishop, Winchester continued in the service of Queen Joan through the minority of James II of Scotland. James II later rewarded WInchester by creating Spynie as a burgh of Barony on July 24, 1451; after James II murdered the ex-regent William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas in 1452, Spynie's status was raised to that of burgh of regality. [Dowden, "Bishops of Scotland", p. 160; McGladdery, "Winchester, John (d. 1460)".]

Bishop Winchester died April, 1460, probably at Spynie Castle [McGladdery gives April 1; Watt gives April 22; the conflicting sources are discussed by Dowden: see Dowden, "Bishops of Scotland", p. 160, McGladdery, "Winchester, John (d. 1460)", and Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", pp. 215-6.] and was buried in St Mary's Aisle within Elgin Cathedral. [Young, Robert: Annals of the Parish and Burgh of Elgin, Elgin, 1879, p. 428]

Notes

References

* Cowan, Ian B., "The Parishes of Medieval Scotland", Scottish Record Society, Vol. 93, (Edinburgh, 1967)
* Dowden, John, "The Bishops of Scotland", ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
* Keith, Robert, "An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops: Down to the Year 1688", (London, 1924)
* McGladdery, C. A., "Winchester, John (d. 1460)", in the "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29714 , accessed 25 Feb 2007]
* Watt, D.E.R., "Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638", 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)