Thomas Charlton (bishop) facts for kids

Thomas Charlton (died 11 January 1344) was an important person in England a long time ago. He served as the Bishop of Hereford, a leader in the church. He also held several big jobs for the King, like Lord High Treasurer (managing money) and Lord Privy Seal (handling important documents). He was also the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Thomas Charlton is buried in the Hereford Cathedral in England.

Family Background

Thomas Charlton was born near a place called Wellington, Shropshire. He was the younger son of Robert de Charleton, who owned a small amount of land. Thomas had an older brother named John Charleton, 1st Baron Cherleton. John became a very important person in the government.

Both Thomas and his brother John worked for King Edward II. Because of this, Thomas received many important jobs in the church.

Important Jobs and Roles

Thomas Charlton held several significant positions during his life.

Lord Privy Seal

From 1316 to 1320, Thomas Charlton served as the Lord Privy Seal. This job meant he was in charge of the King's private seal. This seal was used to approve important documents and make them official.

Bishop of Hereford

On 25 September 1327, Thomas Charlton was chosen to be the Bishop of Hereford. He was officially made a bishop on 18 October 1327. This made him a main leader for the church in that area.

Lord High Treasurer

Thomas Charlton also worked as the Lord High Treasurer of England. He held this important role from 2 July 1328 until 16 September 1329. As Treasurer, he was responsible for managing the King's money and the country's finances.

Work in Ireland

In 1337, Thomas Charlton went to Ireland with his brother John. His brother John had been appointed the Justiciar of Ireland, which was like being the King's main representative there.

Lord Chancellor of Ireland

In Ireland, Thomas became the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. His main task was to investigate if the courts in Ireland were working fairly. The English King wanted him to look into any problems, especially if judges were not doing their jobs honestly. Thomas was even given the power to remove judges and appoint new ones from England.

However, his mission did not seem to be very successful. Many of the existing judges tried to keep their positions.

Custos Rotulorum

After his brother John resigned as Justiciar in 1338, Thomas moved from the Chancellorship. He then took on the role of custos rotulorum for Ireland. This job meant he was in charge of keeping important public records.