11 Facts About Walter Giffard

1.

Walter Giffard's brother was Bishop Godfrey Walter Giffard, who was Bishop of Worcester and Lord Chancellor of England; his sister Mabel was the Abbess of Shaftesbury Abbey.

2.

Walter Giffard was a kinsman of William of Bitton I, who was Walter Giffard's predecessor at Bath.

3.

Walter Giffard studied at Cambridge University and took his Master of Arts at Oxford University.

4.

Walter Giffard took holy orders and became a canon and archdeacon of Wells and a papal chaplain.

5.

The service was performed by Peter d'Acquablanca, the Bishop of Hereford, Walter Giffard having first sworn that he would not take part against King Henry III.

6.

Walter Giffard's register contains many gifts to the poor, and he helped support schoolmasters at Beverley.

7.

Walter Giffard supported the scholarly careers of two of his successors at York, John le Romeyn and William Greenfield.

8.

Walter Giffard assisted Edward in bringing John de Warenne the Earl of Surrey to justice for the murder of Alan la Zouche at Westminster.

9.

Walter Giffard again acted in this capacity during the king's absence in 1275.

10.

Contemporary reports state that Walter Giffard was a handsome, happy and genial man who was fond of luxury; as a result of this in later life he grew fat which affected both his health and his temper.

11.

Walter Giffard was noted at the time as being a man of high character who was able and industrious.