William de Turbeville

William de Turbeville
Bishop of Norwich
Elected	either 1146 or early 1147
Term ended	January 1174
Predecessor	Everard
Successor	John of Oxford
Orders
Consecration	c. 1147
Personal details
Born	c. 1095
Died	16 or 17 January 1174 Norwich, Norfolk
Denomination	Roman Cathollic

William de Turbeville (or William Turbe; c. 1095 – January 1174) was a medieval Bishop of Norwich.

Life

Turbeville was educated in the Benedictine cathedral-priory of Norwich. Here he also made religious profession, first as a teacher and later as prior. He first held the office of precentor of the diocese of Norwich from about 1136, and was subsequently Prior of Norwich.

Turbeville was present at the Easter synod of 1144 when Godwin Stuart told the improbable story that his nephew, William of Norwich, a boy of about twelve years, had been murdered by the Norwich Jews during the preceding Holy Week.

When Turbeville became bishop in 1146 or early 1147 he propagated the cult of the "boy-martyr". On four occasions he had the boy's remains transferred to more honourable places, and in 1168 erected a chapel in his honor in Mousehold Wood, where the boy's body was said to have been found. He persuaded Thomas of Monmouth, a monk of Norwich priory, to write "The Life and Miracles of St. William of Norwich" about 1173, the only extant authority for the legend of William, which is now commonly discredited.

Turbeville attended the Council of Rheims in 1148.

Turbeville died on 16 January 1174 or 17 January 1174.

References

• British History Online Bishops of Norwich accessed on 29 October 2007
• British History Online Priors of Norwich accessed on 29 October 2007

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Everard	Bishop of Norwich 1146–1174	Succeeded by John of Oxford

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