Walkelin

Walkelin was the first Norman Bishop of Winchester. He began the construction of Winchester Cathedral in 1079 and had the Old Minster demolished. He reformed the cathedral's administration, although his plan to replace the monks with priests was blocked by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc. Walkelin was important in beginning St Giles's Fair in Winchester and was greatly active in national politics. For example, he signed the Accord of Winchester, was involved in the Council of London in 1075, and sought to resolve a conflict between Anselm of Canterbury and William II. He was regent of England for a few months at the end of his life.

Early career Walkelin was probably not related to William the Conqueror, whom he served as a royal chaplain. Before the Norman Conquest, he was probably a canon at Rouen Cathedral.

In April 1070, at the Council of Winchester, papal legates deposed Stigand as Bishop of Winchester. Walkelin was nominated to be bishop on 23 May 1070 and was consecrated on 30 May by the papal legate Ermenfrid.

Bishop of Winchester

Reform Walkelin aimed to replace the monks in the cathedral with priests, in a chapter of canons. Since most of the money was going to the monks, this change, for which he had royal approval, would have helped him to fund his household and any future construction projects. However, Lanfranc, a monk who had just been consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury by a selection of bishops including Walkelin himself, opposed the change, and succeeded in blocking it.

According to his successor William Giffard, to raise funds in a different way, Walkelin divided the assets of the see between himself and the monastery and appropriated some of the monks' land and patronages. Walkelin required the consent of the Prior of Winchester for these changes. However, as he had previously made his brother Simeon the prior, this consent was easier to obtain.

Construction

Walkelin began work on a new cathedral church, the current Winchester Cathedral, in 1079, to replace the Old Minster. The current transepts, crypt and some parts of the nave of the cathedral church are from Walkelin's initial construction. The tower collapsed in 1107 and was rebuilt with a similar design later. Walkelin issued an indulgence to all who visited the shrine of Edmund.