Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Chastillon, Henry de

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1351779Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 10 — Chastillon, Henry de1887Henry Bradley

CHASTILLON or CASTILLUN, HENRY de (fl. 1195), archdeacon of Canterbury, is first mentioned as a judge of the king’s court in 1195. In the records of fines for that year he is mentioned as Henry de Chastilon or Castilliun, but in those of 1196 he is always called Henry, archdeacon of Canterbury. It may therefore be presumed that he was appointed about the end of 1195 or the beginning of 1196. He may possibly be the same person as the Henry de Casteillun who in 1197 rendered an account of receipts and ayments of the office of chamberlain of Condon for the two years beginning Whitsuntide 1195; but in that case it is singular that he is mentioned without the title of archdeacon. In 1198 and 1199 he was employed by Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, as his agent in the negotiations arising out of his quarrel with the convent of Christ Church (Canterbury), and in connection with the same matter he appears as the bearer of a letter from the archbishop to Richard I. In the following year he was a witness to the agreement in which the archbishop and the monks bound themselves to submit their case to arbitration. In 1199 he installed Savaricus, bishop of Bath and Wells, as abbot of Glastonbury. During his tenure of the archdeaconry two different persons, Radulf and E., are mentioned as having acted as 'vice-archdeacons' in 1189 and 1199.

In 1202, during the contest between King John and the monks of St. Augustine's monastery at Canterbury respecting the patronage of the church at Faversham, the archdeacon excommunicated the monks on account of the scenes of violence which had taken place in the sacred building, and took possession of the church. The monks appealed to the pope, who directed an inquiry into the case. How the matter was decided is not known; but in the meantime the monks had made their peace with the king, and it seems that the archdeacon availed himself of the opportunity to secure for himself a share of the revenues of the church.

The date of Chastillon's death is unknown, nor does it appear whether he continued to hold the office of archdeacon during his life. The name of his successor is variously given as Henry de Stanford, Sanford, and Stafford.

[Somner's Canterbury, ed. Battely, i. 155; Hasted's Kent, ii. 564; Madox's Exchequer, i. 775; Hunter's Fines, i. 1, 3, 91, 152; Epistolæ Cantuarienses, ed. Stubbs (Rolls Series), pp. 439, 440, 446, 511; Foss's Lives of the Judges, i. 348.]

H. B.