Stephen Birchington facts for kids

Stephen Birchington was a monk and writer who lived a long time ago, in the 1300s. He was known for writing about important church leaders in England.

Who Was Stephen Birchington?

Stephen Birchington's name probably came from a small village called Birchington, located on the Isle of Thanet in England.

In 1382, he became a monk at a famous church called Christ Church, Canterbury. A monk is a man who dedicates his life to religious service and often lives in a monastery. It's thought he might have had a connection to this church even before he officially joined.

During his time there, Stephen Birchington held important jobs. He was a treasurer, which means he managed the money for the monastery. He was also a warden of the monastery's lands, looking after them.

Stephen Birchington passed away on August 21, 1407.

What Did Stephen Birchington Write?

Birchington wrote a book called Vitae Archiepiscoporum Cantuariensium. This long Latin title means "Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury." It was a collection of stories and facts about the important leaders of the church in Canterbury.

Much later, in 1691, a person named Henry Wharton edited and published Birchington's work in his own book, Anglia Sacra.

Wharton thought that Birchington might have written an even longer version of the "Lives of the Archbishops," but this longer version has not been found. There were also other old writings found with Birchington's book. Wharton wondered if Birchington wrote these too. These included a history of English kings called De Regibus Anglorum.

However, we now know that some of these other writings were actually by a French writer named Bernard Gui. Experts today believe that the "Lives of the Archbishops" found in the Lambeth Palace Library and the De Regibus might have been written by someone else before Birchington. It is thought that Birchington's own original writings, which would have continued the story into his own time, are now lost.