Walter Skirlaw (born Swine parish, Holderness,Secrets of Hylton Castle accessed on 23 August 2007A History of the County of East Riding: Swine Parish accessed on 23 August 2007 brought up at Skirlaugh; died 1406) was an English bishop and diplomat. He was Bishop of Durham from 1388 to 1406. He was an important adviser to Richard II of England and Henry IV of England.The Fading Years of the Prince Bishops accessed on 23 August 2007
Life
Skirlaw was Archdeacon of the East Riding from 1359 to 1385British History – Archdeacons of the East Riding, 1300–1541 and Archdeacon of Northampton from 1381.Archdeacons of Northampton accessed on 23 August 2007 In 1382, he was given custody of the privy seal, filling the office of Lord Privy Seal, which office he held until 1386.Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology He was elected Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield on 28 June 1385, and consecrated on 14 January 1386.Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield accessed on 23 August 2007 Then he was translated to be Bishop of Bath and Wells on 18 August 1386. On 3 April 1388, he was once again transferred, this time to the see of Durham. He would have become Archbishop of York in 1398, but Richard II over-ruled the cathedral chapter, insisting on Richard le Scrope.Welcome to York Minster accessed on 23 August 2007
Skirlaw was employed on diplomatic missions to Italy in 1381–3,Concise Dictionary of National Biography to Calais to negotiate with the French in 1388,May McKisack, The Fourteenth Century, p. 463. and to the Scots. He died on 24 March 1406.
Skirlaw is described as "a munificent prelate. He built bridges at Shincliffe, Bishop Auckland, and Yarm; a refuge tower, a beautiful chapter-house (now in ruins) at Howden; and was a large contributor to the expense of building the central tower of York Cathedral".J. E. Bygate, Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham, Gutenberg text.
During his episcopacy much was added to Durham Cathedral, including its cloisters.Durham Cathedral Historical Survey accessed on 23 August 2007 He is portrayed in the east stained-glass window in York Minster,Vidimus no. 6 (April 2007): Panel of the Month accessed on 23 August 2007 which he had made.York Minster: The Great East Window accessed on 7 September 2007
Notes
Citations
References Archdeacons of Northampton Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield Bygate, J. E. Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham, Gutenberg text Concise Dictionary of National Biography Durham Cathedral Historical Survey The Fading Years of the Prince Bishops
Glynne Jarratt The Life of Walter Skirlaw: Medieval Diplomat and Prince Bishop of Durham 2004 A History of the County of East Riding: Swine Parish McKisack, May The Fourteenth Century Secrets of Hylton Castle Vidimus no. 6 (April 2007): Panel of the Month Welcome to York Minster