Early life
Walter was born around 1330. At that time Skirlaw, as it was known in Medieval times, was divided into two small villages , they were North and South Skirlaw. At that time people took the name of the village as their second name – so he became Walter de Skirlaw i.e. Walter of Skirlaw – Walter Skirlaw.
It is believed he was the son of a basket maker – (maybe making winnowing baskets to separate the wheat from the chaff after it was harvested) as, later, when he was made a Bishop his coat of arms was six willow strands interwoven to make a cross and that is how you would start to make a basket. Some historians think he could have been a builder, building the wattle & daub houses that the serfs lived in, in those days – the wattle being willow wands which grew plentifully in the marshes and ponds of the area.
Education
It was thought he was educated at Swine Priory where much later his sister Joan became Prioress. From the age of 12 Walter joined the junior household of Archbishop Thoresby from Wensleydale, Yorkshire and he sponsored Walter’s education. Walter went on to Oxford University.
In those days Universities were priestly places of learning where they trained clergy. Walter studied Canon and Civil Law for six years until 1358.
He graduated Bachelor of Civil Law and later gained his Master’s degree and was ordained priest. He left Oxford in 1358 and went back to Yorkshire and became Thoresby’s secretary – a very important job that involved a legal element.
Career
The Black death had reached England in June 1348 and killed a third to a half of Europe’s population including priests and so it was relatively easy to climb the priestly ladder and Walter held the posts of Rector, Archdeacon, Bishop, Lord Privy Seal and he became an important diplomat and also adviser to Richard II and Henry IV. Finally, in 1388 Walter finished his career as Prince Bishop of Durham.
Positions he held before becoming Prince Bishop of Durham were:
- 1357- 1359 Rector of Preston Bisset nr Oxford;
- 1359 -1381 Archdeacon of the East Riding;
- 1381 – 1385 Archdeacon of Northampton;
- 1385 -1386 Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield; and concurrently
- 1382- 1386 was Lord Privy Seal; 1386 – 1388 appointed as Bishop of Bath and Wells;
- April 1388 Prince Bishop of Durham until his death 24th March 1406.
Walter is buried in a tomb in Durham Cathedral and a statue of him is in the Lady Chapel of York Minster. Being Prince Bishop of Durham brought him great wealth and just before he died he had this church built in his home village of Skirlaw in the then, popular, early perpendicular style.
Walter’s buildings
Walter was a prolific builder. As well as St Augustine’s. he also built Shincliffe Bridge, Aukland Bridge – both in County Durham, Howden Tower and Howden Manor which was used at a stop off point for Prince Bishops travelling down to London, the cloisters at Durham Cathedral and the Central Tower at York Minster. He also designed the East Widow at York Minster