William de Turbeville explained

William de Turbeville
Bishop of Norwich
Religion:Roman Catholic
Elected:either 1146 or early 1147
Ended:January 1174
Predecessor:Everard
Successor:John of Oxford
Birth Date:c. 1095
Death Date:16 or 17 January 1174
Death Place:Norwich, Norfolk

William de Turbeville (or William Turbe; – January 1174) was a medieval Bishop of Norwich.

Life

Turbeville was educated in the Benedictine priory of Norwich Cathedral. Here he also made religious profession, first as a teacher and later as prior. He first held the office of precentor of the Diocese of Norwich from about 1136, and was subsequently Prior of Norwich.[1]

Turbeville was present at the Easter synod of 1144 when Godwin Stuart alleged that his nephew, William of Norwich, a boy of about twelve years, had been murdered by the Norwich Jews during the preceding Holy Week.

When Turbeville became bishop in 1146 or early 1147[2] he propagated the cult of the "boy-martyr". On four occasions he had the boy's remains transferred to more honourable places, and in 1168 erected a chapel in his honour in Mousehold Wood, where the boy's body was said to have been found. He persuaded Thomas of Monmouth, a monk of Norwich priory, to write "The Life and Miracles of St William of Norwich" about 1173, the only extant authority for the legend of William, which is now commonly discredited.

Turbeville attended the Council of Rheims in 1148.[3]

Turbeville died on 16 January 1174[2] or 17 January 1174.[4]

References

Notes and References

  1. http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33867 British History Online Priors of Norwich
  2. Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 261
  3. Haring "Notes on the Council and the Consistory of Rheims (1148)" Mediaeval Studies
  4. http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33866 British History Online Bishops of Norwich