Robert de Limesey (d. 1121)
Robert de Limesey was appointed Bishop of Chester in 1085, one of William the Conqueror’s last episcopal nominations.[i] Around 1087, he controversially moved his see from Chester into the wealthy abbey of Coventry, earning hostility from the monks and criticism from chroniclers such as William of Malmesbury.[ii] His tenure, lasting until his death in 1121, shaped the diocese of Lichfield-Coventry for over a century, producing a dual cathedral system similar to that of Bath and Wells.[iii]
Although a bishop, Robert was also a father.[iv] His episcopate was marked by conflict and ambition. In 1102 he secured papal authorization from Pascal II to relocate his see formally to Coventry, making the bishops titular abbots of the monastery.[v] Robert also played a controversial role in the Investiture Crisis: he joined Gerard of York and Herbert de Losinga in reporting to Henry I that Pope Pascal had privately permitted royal investiture, a claim later denied by the pope, who excommunicated all three bishops.[vi] Robert was pardoned in 1106, following a broader settlement between pope and king.
Robert’s political connections were evident in his service within royal administration, where his chancery experience facilitated both influence and manipulation. Between 1107 and 1111, he obtained a favourable judgment for Coventry Abbey based on forged Anglo-Saxon and Norman deeds, a fraud later compounded by the monks themselves. These documents were eventually confirmed by successive monarchs and enrolled on the charter roll of Henry III.[vii]
Though sometimes criticized for his policies and opportunism, Robert was described as hospitable and energetic, overseeing major building works at Lichfield.[viii] His legacy intertwined piety, ambition, and political manoeuvring, leaving behind a transformed episcopal structure and a dynasty continued through his son.
[i] Barlow, F. (1979). The English Church, 1066–1154: A history of the Anglo-Norman church. Longman. p. 64.
[ii] Knowles, D. (1950). The monastic order in England. Cambridge University Press. p. 132.
[iii] “Houses of Benedictine monks: Priory of Coventry.” (1908). In W. Page (Ed.), A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 2 (pp. 52–59). Victoria County History. British History Online.
[iv] Brooke, C. N. L. (1956). Married men among the English higher clergy, 1066–1200. The Cambridge Historical Journal, 12(2), 187–188.
[v] “Houses of Benedictine monks: Priory of Coventry.” (1908). In W. Page (Ed.), A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 2 (pp. 52–59). Victoria County History. British History Online.
[vi] Barlow, F. (1983). William Rufus. University of California Press. p. 300.
[vii] Cam, H. M. (1957). The evolution of the mediaeval English franchise. Speculum, 32(3), p. 434.
[viii] Barlow, F. (1979). The English Church, 1066–1154: A history of the Anglo-Norman church. Longman. p. 84.