Hilary was a medieval Bishop of Chichester in England. English by birth, he studied canon law and worked in Rome as a papal clerk. He spent many years in a struggle with Battle Abbey, attempting to assert his right as bishop to oversee the abbey. He worked to have Edward the Confessor canonised as a saint.
About Hilary of Chichester in brief
Hilary was a medieval Bishop of Chichester in England. English by birth, he studied canon law and worked in Rome as a papal clerk. He served as a clerk for Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, and as Dean of the church of Christchurch in Twynham, Hampshire. Hilary was unsuccessful as a candidate for the archbishopric of York against Henry Murdac in 1147, but Pope Eugene III chose to compensate him by appointing him to the see of Chichester. He spent many years in a struggle with Battle Abbey, attempting to assert his right as bishop to oversee the abbey. Known for supporting his clergy and as a canon lawyer, or someone trained in ecclesiastical law, Hilary worked to have Edward the Confessor, a former English king, canonised as a saint. Theobald of Bec, the Archbishop of Canterbury, consecrated him at Canterbury, with Nigel, the Bishop of Ely, Robert, theishop of Bath, and William de Turbeville, the bishop of Norwich, assisting in the ceremony. He was also sent to attend a church council at Reims in 1148, even though the king had forbidden him to attend. It appears to be the main reason why Hilary attempted to excuse the king’s attempt to exclude the pope from the council, so the pope ordered Robert de Sigello, Josceline de Bohon, and Joscelin de Bohline, the bishops of London, to attend the council. Soon after, Gilbert de Bethune was elected to see of Hereford, and Gilbert Foliot was elected at the direction of the pope at the council of Flanders, in which Hilary also took part.
He is buried at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, along with his brother, John of Salisbury, who was a canon at Salisbury Cathedral, and his brother’s son, William de Salisbury. He also had a son, John, who later became Pope Adrian IV, and a daughter, Mary, who became a nun at St Peter’s Church in London. He died in 1170, and was buried in St James’ Cathedral, London, where he was buried with his wife, Margaret, and their son, Edward, who died in 1205. He had a daughter who was married to William de Ghent, the Dean of York, and later became Bishop of Durham, and had two sons, William and Robert. He worked as a judge-delegate, to hear cases referred back to England, and also served in the papal chancery, or writing office, in 1146. In 1139, he was dean of the college of secular clergy, or clergy who were not monks, and he was appointed sheriff of the county. He restored the organisation to its traditional round of religious ceremonies that had been abandoned by his predecessors, as well as securing grants of privileges and lands. For a number of years, he continued to hold the deanship in plurality, which is the holding of two or more ecclesiastical benefices at once.
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