Bishop Meuland - an enigma

           Roger Meuland,[1] c. 1215–1295, was Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield for 37 years, 1258–1295, when there was much construction of the current cathedral, yet little is known about what he achieved. Nothing is known of his paternity and early life, but he might have been brought up in France. There are indications he was distantly related to the king.[2] By 1257 he was a canon at Lichfield and also a papal chaplain. That year he bought buildings and land in St Mary-le-Strand, London, in 1257, presumably for residency. His elevation to bishop, 1258,  was probably managed by Richard the king’s brother.[3] He spoke French and this must have been a hindrance to relationships with resident Anglo-Saxon speakers.

            In 1259, he upset King Henry III by attempting unsuccessfully to take control of the royal free chapels in the diocese. In 1263, the king entrusted him with the bishops of London and Lincoln to make a settlement with Simon de Montfort, sixth earl of Leicester, and it was attempted again in the following year, but without success. He then co-operated with Montfort, after he gained power in 1264, helping to arrange settlements with the Marcher barons.[4] He also, with the Bishop of Worcester, helped release Prince Edward from imprisonment in Kenilworth Castle. In 1265, the king regained power with a bloody battle at Evesham. Meuland retook allegiance to the king, but now did little in the affairs of the state.

            Much of his known episcopy was concerned with obtaining funds for the cathedral and other churches in the diocese. He assigned ten marks to the fabric fund. It was during his episcopate that the whole of the nave and the lower part of the great west front were built and he probably played a significant part in raising funds for the enterprise. He could have been the facilitator for Henry III taking such a strong interest in the building of the cathedral.

            With the succession of Edward I, Meuland was granted the forest or free Chase of Canok and the free warren in the manors of Rugeley and Cannock. Together with his office of sheriff of Oxfordshire and Berkshire, 1271–3, he must have gained wealth. A good relationship between Edward and Meuland could have been a forerunner for the close relationship with the next bishop, Walter Langton.

            Late in his episcopy he, the Dean and Chapter came under strong criticism from Archbishop Peckham for serious offences leading to the conclusion they did not care about the diocese. The bishop was too often absent from his diocese. It later proved (mostly) untrue,[5] but the ageing French-speaking bishop must have felt helpless against the archbishop’s condemnation. It resulted in the appointment of a suffragan bishop, the archdeacon of Derby, who spoke the native language.

            There are scattered indications he was the first bishop to keep an episcopal register, kept as a roll, but unfortunately his Acta has been lost.[6] It must have recorded his precise involvement in the making of the cathedral and it might have been considerable. He does not have a statue on the west front of the cathedral.[7]

           Meuland died December 16 1295 aged 80, and was possibly buried, January 1296, on the south side of the high altar in bay 5. If so, the stone coffin was seen in the excavations of 1992.[8]

Probable site of Bishop Meuland’s grave according to Dugdale.

Meuland’s coffin might be the one on the right.

 

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[1] Also spelt Meuleng, Meulent, Molend, Meulan, Mulent, Meulinges and recently Mayland could have indicated an ancestral connection with Meulon in Normandy. Matthew Paris of St Albans, c. 1200–1259, named him master Longespée prompting speculation that he was the son of William Longespée, earl of Salisbury. If true, and it is doubtful, it would mean King Henry III was his uncle.

[2] Full a comprehensive review see D. Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry: A study in Colonial and Medieval Families. 2nd ed. (2011), 39–40. There are many competing ancestries, all conjectural.

[3] In the year of his consecration, he joined Richard in Germany for his coronation as King of the Romans. His relationship with the king’s brother suggests a familial connection.

[4] Simon Montfort was a bigoted Christian with a hatred for Jews. His wars were under the banner of killing Jews and removing usury. There is no evidence Meuland supported this cause.

[5] H. E. Savage, The Great Register of Lichfield. Unpub. address in Cathedral Library (1923).

[6] They were known up to the Civil War. W. Dugdale, Monasticum Anglicanum. (London: 1673) gave short references. See R. N. Swanson, ‘The rolls of roger de Meuland, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield (1258‐1295)’. Journal of the Society of Archivists. (1990), 11, 37–40.

[7] It would be reasonable to believe he once had a statue on the west front that was built in the time of his episcopy.

[8] W. Rodwell, Revealing the history of the Cathedral. Unpub. paper in Cathedral Library (1992), 24–34.