The bishop of Lincoln, whose diocese is the largest in England, holds three castles that make him a military lord as well as a pastor: Newark, where the Fosse Way and the Great North Road cross the Trent; Sleaford in Kesteven; and Banbury in Oxfordshire, each with its town and market.
All three were built by Bishop Alexander under Henry I, seized by Stephen in 1139 and returned. The see also holds manors such as Louth, Stow, Thame, Dorchester and Buckden. Hugh of Avalon, revered as a saint in his lifetime, holds it on 1 January 1200 and dies in November.
Who holds it
- Name
- Hugh of Avalon (St Hugh of Lincoln)
- Title
- Bishop of Lincoln
- Since
- 1186
- Confidence
- high
A Carthusian from Avalon near Grenoble, once prior of Henry II's charterhouse at Witham; over 60. Famous for standing up to kings: in 1197 he refused Richard's demand for knights to serve overseas. He is rebuilding Lincoln cathedral after the earthquake of 1185. He dies in London on 16 November 1200 and is buried at Lincoln on 24 November with John and William the Lion present.
What it holds
- Newark castle and town, on the Trent crossing; built by Bishop Alexander under a charter of Henry I usually dated 1135
- Sleaford castle and town in Lincolnshire, also Alexander's
- Banbury castle (1135) and town, guarded by castle-guard owed from estates around Banbury; the bishops held it, apart from Stephen's seizure in 1139, until 1547
- Oxfordshire manors and their hundreds around Banbury, Dorchester and Thame (the hundredal rights thin for 1200)
- Manors and residences at Lincoln (the bishop's palace by the minster), Stow, Louth, Buckden and Biggleswade
How it was acquired
Castles built by Bishop Alexander (1123-48); manors are old endowments of the see, which moved from Dorchester-on-Thames to Lincoln in 1072.
How things stand that morning
Hugh holds all three castles and his manors; his relations with John are correct after his reconciliation with Richard in 1198.
Wealth
Tolls at the Trent crossing at Newark; markets of Newark, Sleaford, Banbury and Louth; Lincolnshire wool.
Threats
- Hugh's death puts the castles and lands into royal custody for the vacancy
- Royal demands for military service from the bishop's knights
Advocates and rivals
The king, who wants the castles in safe hands; the city of Lincoln with its royal castle; the cathedral chapter.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 16 November 1200Hugh dies in London; at his burial in Lincoln on 24 November John and William the Lion are present. The castles and lands pass into royal custody for the vacancy.Depends on: His natural death; he is about 60 and in failing health. Stopped by: Nothing likely.
Places of note
- Newark castle: Bishop Alexander's castle on the Trent crossing
- Sleaford castle: Bishop Alexander's castle in Kesteven
- Banbury castle: The bishop's castle in north Oxfordshire
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The castles are well attested; the Oxfordshire hundreds and the manor list are from general knowledge of the see's estates, not checked one by one here.
On the map: Castles and towns are drawn as districts around them; the bishop's wider estates are left out.
Primary sources for England
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond, Jocelin of Brakelond (about 1198 to 1203). An inside account of Bury St Edmunds under Abbot Samson, written while the events were fresh. Read online
- Chronicle of Melrose, Anonymous (monks of Melrose abbey) (about 1173 to 1270, in many hands; the 1200 entries are near contemporary). The main Scottish annal for the year, kept at a Cistercian house on the Tweed. Read online
- Chronicle of Roger of Howden, Roger of Howden (about 1192 to 1201). The fullest single narrative for the year. Read online
- Chronicle of the Princes, Anonymous (Welsh translation of a lost Latin chronicle kept at Strata Florida) (Latin original to about 1282, compiled from contemporary annals; Welsh versions about 1300 and later). The native Welsh record of the year. Read online
- Chronicle; Deeds of the Kings, Gervase of Canterbury (Chronica about 1188 to 1199; Gesta Regum about 1199 to 1210). The Chronica stops in 1199, so for 1200 the witness is the briefer Gesta Regum, which notes John's peace with Philip, the coronation of Isabella at Westminster on 8 October 1200, and matters touching Canterbury: the archbishop Hubert Walter as chancellor, the cathedral priory's quarrel with him, and the Lambeth college dispute lately settled by the pope. Read online
- English Chronicle of Ralph of Coggeshall, Ralph of Coggeshall (about 1200 to 1224, in stages). Short but independent entries for 1200 from a Cistercian house in Essex: John's levy on the Cistercians and the carucage, the peace with Philip, the king's new marriage and the queen's coronation, and the death of Hugh of Lincoln. Read online
- Flowers of History, Roger of Wendover (about 1220 to 1235 at St Albans). For 1200 Wendover is mostly Howden rewritten, so he is a second witness only where he adds St Albans material: a long account of Hugh of Lincoln's last months, death and funeral, and anecdotes about John's conduct toward the Cistercians and his new queen. Read online
- Images of History, Ralph de Diceto (about 1188 to 1202). A London view of the year from the dean of St Paul's, who knew the justiciar and the bishops personally. Read online
22 more in the sources library for The British Isles.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.