Robert Warelwast

Robert Warelwast (died 1155) was a medieval Bishop of Exeter.

Life

Warelwast and his successor, Robert of Chichester are often confused. Warelwast was the nephew of the previous bishop, William Warelwast, and was appointed archdeacon of Exeter by his uncle. He had been educated at Laon, sent there by his uncle to study under Master Anselm of Laon.

Warelwast was nominated on 10 April 1138 Probably, he was elected by the cathedral chapter and his election was formally accepted by King Stephen of England at Northampton. During King Stephen's reign, he was forced to recognize Baldwin de Redvers as Earl of Cornwall, but continued to date his charters by Stephen's regnal years. He seems to have favored Stephen, but his diocese was not strategically significant in the civil war, and he was little bothered by the disorders of the reign. He did excommunicate Matilda's half-brother Reginald fitz Roy, whom she had made Earl of Cornwall, but this was because Richard had ravaged church lands. He was still alive on 7 February 1155 when he oversaw the translation of relics at Launceston Priory, but died soon after that. He was buried in his cathedral.