Thomas Minot

Thomas Minot, also spelt Mynot or Mynyot (died 10 July 1375) was an English-born judge and cleric in fourteenth-century Ireland. He was Archbishop of Dublin from 1363 to 1375. He is chiefly remembered for his extensive restoration works to St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and in particular for rebuilding the Cathedral's tower, which is still called Minot's Tower.

Early career He came from a north of England family which had a tradition of service to the English Crown. He may have been a cousin of Laurence Minot, the poet, although almost nothing is known for certain of Laurence's life. Richard Mynot, who came to Ireland with Thomas and accompanied him on his final journey back to England, was probably his nephew.

He was presented to the living of Nothorpe, Lincolnshire in 1349, and to that of Seaton, Rutland in 1351.

Unlike many of the medieval Irish Barons of the Exchequer, who were laymen (a fact which gave rise to frequent complaints about their ignorance of the law) Thomas had studied law at Oxford University (receiving the title "magister" in about 1349) and was an accomplished ecclesiastical lawyer. He worked hard, spending ten weeks in 1357 levying the King's debts in the South-East. He was regarded by the English Crown as an expert on the Exchequer of Ireland, and attended both the English Privy Council and the Parliament of England to offer his advice on the subject. He was probably responsible for the Ordinances of March 1361 reforming the Irish Exchequer. He received several clerical preferments including the prebendaries of Mulhuddart, Ossory and Rathsallagh. He was Lord Treasurer of Ireland 1362-1364, and a key ally of Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, the King's second son, as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Archbishop of Dublin Minot was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin on Palm Sunday 1363. Minot and his adversary Milo Sweetman, Archbishop of Armagh from 1361 to 1380, maintained the quarrel with such heat that the King intervened personally, urging them to live in friendship and, more practically, suggesting that the matter could be resolved by allowing each Archbishop to carry his crozier in the other's presence, as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York did to get over a similar problem of precedence.