Robert of Bath

Robert or sometimes Robert of Lewes (died 1166) was a medieval English Bishop of Bath. He began his career as a monk at Lewes Priory as well as performing administrative functions for Henry of Blois. It was Henry who secured Robert's selection as bishop. While bishop, Robert built in his diocese and set up the system of archdeacons there. He may have been the author of the Gesta Stephani, a work detailing the history of King Stephen's life.

Life Robert was a native of England, but his ancestry was Flemish, His birthdate and when he became a monk are not known. He was a Cluniac and a monk of Lewes Priory and a protégé of Henry of Blois who employed him at Glastonbury Abbey on administrative tasks. He may have been the prior of Winchester Cathedral but there is no certain evidence of this, and was consecrated probably in March 1136.

Robert was instrumental in reorganizing his diocese as well as building and restoration work at Wells. He was the bishop who set up the territorial organization of the archdeacons of the diocese. Robert continued the building work on church building at Bath, and gave borough status to the town of Wells.

In 1138, during Robert of Gloucester's rising against King Stephen of England, Robert was in charge of the defenses of Bath. He captured Geoffrey Talbot, who was a supporter of Robert of Gloucester's, but when he went out to parley with another group of Gloucester's supporters, the bishop was captured even though he had been offered a safe conduct for the parley. The bishop was then exchanged for Geoffrey Talbot. In 1141, he was at the gathering where Henry of Blois changed allegiance to the Empress Matilda at Winchester.

Robert died 31 August 1166 an identification first made by the historian R. H. C. Davis in 1962. While it is not certain that Robert was the author, the outlook of the work certainly fits with the known outlook of Robert.