Walter Skirlaw

Skirlaw was Archdeacon of the East Riding from 1359 to 1385^[4] and Archdeacon of Northampton from 1381.^[5] In 1382, he was given custody of the privy seal, filling the office of Lord Privy Seal, which office he held until 1386.^[6]: 95 He was elected Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield on 28 June 1385, and consecrated on 14 January 1386.^{[6]: 253 [7]} Then he was translated to be Bishop of Bath and Wells on 18 August 1386.^[6]: 228 On 3 April 1388, he was once again transferred, this time to the see of Durham.^[6]: 242 He would have become Archbishop of York in 1398, but Richard II over-ruled the cathedral chapter, insisting on Richard le Scrope.^[8]

Skirlaw was employed on diplomatic missions to Italy in 1381–3,^[9] to Calais to negotiate with the French in 1388,^[10] and to the Scots. He died on 24 March 1406.^[6]: 242

Skirlaw is described as "a munificent prelate. He built bridges at Shincliffe, Bishop Auckland, and Yarm; a refuge tower, a beautiful chapter-house (now in ruins) at Howden; and was a large contributor to the expense of building the central tower of York Cathedral".^[11]

During his episcopacy much was added to Durham Cathedral, including its cloisters.^[12] He is portrayed in the east stained-glass windowinYork Minster,^[13] which he had made.^[14]

• Archdeacons of Northampton
• Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield
• Bygate, J. E. Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Durham, Gutenberg text
• Concise Dictionary of National Biography
• Durham Cathedral Historical Survey
• The Fading Years of the Prince Bishops
• Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
• Glynne Jarratt The Life of Walter Skirlaw: Medieval Diplomat and Prince Bishop of Durham 2004
• A History of the County of East Riding: Swine Parish
• McKisack, May The Fourteenth Century
• Secrets of Hylton Castle
• Vidimus no. 6 (April 2007): Panel of the Month
• Welcome to York Minster