Walter of Kirkham

Walter of Kirkham (died 1260) was a medieval English official who held the positions of Keeper of the Wardrobe, Dean of York, and Bishop of Durham. He was elected bishop over Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, the brother of King Henry III. As bishop, he was instrumental in the founding of Balliol College in the University of Oxford.

Early life

Walter was probably a native of Kirkham, Yorkshire. From about January 1224 Walter held the office of Keeper of the Wardrobe jointly with Walter Brackley. Brackley was out of office by February 1229, but Walter continued to hold the office until 15 August 1231. He held the office again from May 1234 until October 1236. The record of office for Kirkham and Brackley from 1224 to 1227 is the first record of the king's Wardrobe to survive. The Wardrobe at this time was responsible not only for the household expenses of the king, but also for the expenses of military campaigns and court festivals. He held the office of dean of St. Martin's-le-Grand in London by about 1229.

Bishop

Walter was elected to the see of Durham on 21 April 1249, and was consecrated on 5 December 1249. King Henry III of England had tried to secure the election of the king's half-brother, Aymer de Valence, but did not succeed. Walter was consecrated at York by Walter de Gray, the Archbishop of York. He also issued instructions on how the sacramental wine and bread were to be treated, and forbade the sale of them. Some doubt has recently been cast on the authorship of the statutes that were assigned to his time; they may have been the work of Farnham instead. at Howden. He was buried in the Durham Cathedral chapter house on 17 August 1260.