Nicholas Farnham
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Farnham was a medieval Bishop of Durham.
Farnham was probably a native of Farnham, Surrey. He studied at Oxford University before moving on to study at Paris and Bologna
. At Paris he first studied theology, but later moved to medicine. He taught at the University of Bologna
as a teacher of medicine before moving to England. He was at Paris when the riots of 1229 drove many teachers out of Paris. Farnham came to England because of King Henry III
's offers of teaching chairs at Oxford to those displaced by the riots.
Farnham was a royal physician before he became confessor to the king and queen in 1237. In 1239, the cathedral chapter
of Coventry elected him Bishop of Coventry
, but Farnham refused the office. He was elected to the see of Durham on 2 January 1241 and at first he wanted to decline the office, but Robert Grosseteste
, Bishop of Lincoln
persuaded him to accept. Farnham was consecrated as bishop on either 26 May or 9 June 1241.
While bishop, Farnham continued to work for the king. In 1241 he was mediating with King Alexander II of Scotland
, and in 1242 he was involved in the negotiatons over the marriage of King Henry's daughter Margaret
to the future Alexander III of Scotland
. As a bishop, he became embroiled in a dispute with a dependency of St Alban's Priory, which was finally settled in 1248 in the priory's favor. The set of constitutions, or laws, he issued for the clergy of his diocese were heavily based on his predecessor's constitutions as well as Grosseteste's for Lincoln.
Farnham was often ill. In 1244 he almost died, and had to go to the south of England where he received a miraculous cure from drinking water which had had bristles from the beard of Saint Edmund of Abingdon soaked in it. Once more in 1248, his health declined, and it was this illness that caused Farnham to seek a license to resign his see from the pope. He resigned on 2 February 1249 and died in 1257. On his resignation, he had three manors assigned to him for his support, and it was at one of these, Stockton in county Durham, that he died, possibly on 31 July, which was the date his death was commemorated at Durham. He was buried in Durham Cathedral
.
Farnham was probably a native of Farnham, Surrey. He studied at Oxford University before moving on to study at Paris and Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. At Paris he first studied theology, but later moved to medicine. He taught at the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
as a teacher of medicine before moving to England. He was at Paris when the riots of 1229 drove many teachers out of Paris. Farnham came to England because of King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
's offers of teaching chairs at Oxford to those displaced by the riots.
Farnham was a royal physician before he became confessor to the king and queen in 1237. In 1239, the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of Coventry elected him Bishop of Coventry
Bishop of Coventry
The Bishop of Coventry is the Ordinary of the England Diocese of Coventry in the Province of Canterbury. In the Middle Ages, the Bishop of Coventry was a title used by the bishops known today as the Bishop of Lichfield....
, but Farnham refused the office. He was elected to the see of Durham on 2 January 1241 and at first he wanted to decline the office, but Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste or Grossetete was an English statesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian and Bishop of Lincoln. He was born of humble parents at Stradbroke in Suffolk. A.C...
, Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
persuaded him to accept. Farnham was consecrated as bishop on either 26 May or 9 June 1241.
While bishop, Farnham continued to work for the king. In 1241 he was mediating with King Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
, and in 1242 he was involved in the negotiatons over the marriage of King Henry's daughter Margaret
Margaret of England
Margaret of England was a medieval English princess who became Queen of Scots. A daughter of the Plantagenet king Henry III of England and his queen, Eleanor of Provence, she was Queen consort to Alexander III "the Glorious", King of the Scots.- Family :She was the second child of Henry III of...
to the future Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
. As a bishop, he became embroiled in a dispute with a dependency of St Alban's Priory, which was finally settled in 1248 in the priory's favor. The set of constitutions, or laws, he issued for the clergy of his diocese were heavily based on his predecessor's constitutions as well as Grosseteste's for Lincoln.
Farnham was often ill. In 1244 he almost died, and had to go to the south of England where he received a miraculous cure from drinking water which had had bristles from the beard of Saint Edmund of Abingdon soaked in it. Once more in 1248, his health declined, and it was this illness that caused Farnham to seek a license to resign his see from the pope. He resigned on 2 February 1249 and died in 1257. On his resignation, he had three manors assigned to him for his support, and it was at one of these, Stockton in county Durham, that he died, possibly on 31 July, which was the date his death was commemorated at Durham. He was buried in Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
.