GODFREY

See also:

• GODFREY GIFFARD (c. 1235—1302)
• GIFFARD, WALTER (d. 1279)
• GIFFARD, WILLIAM (d. 1129)

GIFFARD (c. 1235—1302)  , chancellor of England and bishop of Worcester, was a son of Hugh Giffard of Boyton, Wiltshire . Having entered the church he speedily obtained valuable preferments owing to the influence of his brother Walter, who became chancellor of England in 1265 . In 1266 Godfrey became chancellor of the exchequer, succeeding Walter as chancellor of England when, in the same year, the latter was made archbishop of York . In 1268 he was chosen bishop of Worcester, resigning the chancellorship shortly afterwards; and both before and after 1279, when he inherited the valuable property of his brother the archbishop, he was employed on public business by Edward I . His main energies, however, were devoted.to the affairs of his see . He had one long dispute with the monks of Worcester, another with the abbot of Westminster, and was vigilant in guarding his material interests . The bishop died on the 26th of January 1302, and was buried in his cathedral . Giffard, although inclined to nepotism, was a benefactor to his cathedral, and completed and fortified the episcopal castle at Hartlebury . See W . Thomas, Survey of Worcester Cathedral; Episcopal Registers; Register of Bishop Godfrey Giffard, edited by J . W . Willis-Bund (Oxford, 1898–1899); and the Annals of Worcester in the Annates monastici, vol. iv., edited by H .

R . Luard (

London, 1869) .