Walter de Amersham, also known as Walter de Agsmundesham (died 1304Watson, p.xvii.) was the Lord Chancellor of Scotland during the English administration in Scotland from 1296 to 1304.
Biography He was a Royal Clerk and Justice of the Peace during the reign of Edward I of England. He was appointed in 1291 as assistant to Alan de St Edmund, the Chancellor for Scotland. Walter was paid 10 merks every month for his service.Keith, p. 212 On 27 June 1292 Walter issued a receipt for 27s 6d received from the Chamberlain of Scotland as arrears of his fee while associate of the late Chancellor Berwick.National Records of Scotland E39/94/5/28 During 1296, Walter was appointed to the position of Chancellor of Scotland during the English administration in Scotland and served in this function until his death in 1304.
Walter was rector of St Thomas's Church Old Winchelsea from 1269 to 1277.Board listing rectors in St Thomas's Church, New Winchelsea During his time as rector, the town suffered inundation from the sea and Walter would have been required to support a town in peril. Matthew Green writes: In the winter of 1271 the quay on the south side of St Thomas the Martyr had been 'carried away by the floods and tempests of the sea' clawing away some of the church and gravelly imperilling it.Matthew Green, Shadowlands: a journey through lost Britain, Faber & Faber, 2022 In 1287 the church was lost and Walter's successor, Adam, also of Agmondesham was required to build a new church in New Winchelsea on higher ground in the centre of a town planned by Edward I.
Walter became a Justice and is recorded in 1282/3 holding an assize of mort d'ancestor with Robert Fulks at Henley, relating to property in Lillingstone Lovell.National Archives KB138/46 In 1286/7 he received a commission 'to hear the complaints of the men of the ancient demesne manor of Cookham against the bailiff of Queen Eleanor and return them to the King's Bench with return'.National Archives KB138/2
Walter retained property in Agmondesham (Amersham). Between November 1301 and November 1302 he granted messuages, rent and land in Amersham to Sarra Attenshe for life with remainder to Thomas de Wouburn.National Archives C143/39/12 An article written by Eustace Allott can be found on Amersham Museum website.https://amershammuseum.org/history/people/before-1600/walter-de-agmodesham/ Walter is known to have had two sons Alan and Thomas, whom his property was divided between.
Citations
References Keith, Robert, An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops: Down to the Year 1688, (London, 1924)
People of Medieval Scotland - Walter of Agmondesham (Amersham), clerk