15c Anglo-Saxon Bishop James Goldwell Oxford University Graduate Dean of Salisbury and Bishop of Norwich Cathedral

James Goldwell (died 15 February 1499) was a medieval Dean of Salisbury Cathedral and Bishop of Norwich Cathedral England. 

Notice that his face is destroyed, but the rest of his monument is in perfect condition.  I have highlighted the outline of his nose and lips, proving that he had negroid features.  Note this is sometimes not detectable because so-called black people can also have straight, thin lips and noses.  But in the case of James, the outline is still visible, and so are remnants of brown paint.

Life – Chantry tomb of Bishop James Goldwell d1499 unusually dressed in a processional cope over his eucharistic vestments, as he would appear during a solemn service. His feet are on a lion; he also wears a fur almuce and has jewelled gloves. His monument was Possibly constructed during his lifetime.

James was responsible for building the Norwich cathedral presbytery roof vault and spire in 1480 after the fire damage when the spire was struck by lightning in 1463

The canopy is decorated with foiled circles and lozenges to the vault and panel tracery to the sides. Repainted in 1936

James Goldwell, who died 15th February 1499, was the 2nd of 3 sons of William de Goldwell and Avice Hawt flic.kr/p/3NwhV2, who both died in 1485 at Great Chart in Kent.

He was educated at All Souls Oxford University, where he was a fellow from 1441 to 1452. This was the start of a career which saw him hold a number of separate benefices in the late 1450s, archdeacon of Essex and dean of Salisbury two years later, before being consecrated bishop of Norwich in 1472

He was much travelled as an ambassador in Rome. , He served on Edward IV’sIV’s privy council and was secretary of state until the accession of Henry VII in 1485, when he returned permanently to Norwich.

This was one of a number of chantries established by Goldwell and his executors: the others were at St Giles’sGiles’s Hospital, St Mary-in-the-Fields in Norwich & Great Chart, whose church he had rebuilt in 1477 and All Souls College, Oxford.

His brother Nicholas d1505 Dean of the College of St Mary in the Fields, asked in his will for his house and lands in Barnham Broom, Norfolk, to be sold and the proceeds used for the ”wele” of the soul of his brother. It would seem very probable that his executors decided to use some of the money to provide a memorial window at St Andrews church Norwich of which fragments remain flic.kr/p/T1oWin and at Great Chart www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/1839713221/

Career – James Goldwell was educated at All Souls’ College, Oxford where he graduated B.Can.L. 1449 and D.C.L 1452.

Norwich Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. It is the cathedral church for the Church of England Diocese of Norwich and is one of the 12 Norwich heritage sites. 

The cathedral was begun in 1096 and constructed out of flint and mortar and faced with a cream-coloured Caen limestone. An Anglo-Saxon settlement and two churches were demolished to make room for the buildings. The cathedral was completed in 1145 with the Norman tower still seen today topped with a wooden spire covered with lead.

He was appointed:

• President of St George’s Hall in the Castle, Oxford 1452
• Rector of St John the Evangelist, London 1455
• Rector of Rivenhall, Essex 1455
• Prebendary of Widland in St Paul’s Cathedral 1457
• Prebendary of Sneating in St Paul’s Cathedral 1458
• Prebendary of Islington in St Paul’s Cathedral 1459 – 1461
• Registrar of the Order of the Garter 1460
• Rector of Cliffe-at-Hoo, Kent
• Archdeacon of Essex, 1461
• Canon of Hereford Cathedral 1461
• Prebenary of Stratford in Salisbury Cathedral 1462
• Dean of Salisbury 1463
• Principal Secretary of State to King Edward IV
• Master of the Rolls 1471
• Papal Protonotary
• Bishop of Norwich 1472, consecrated at St Blaise, Rome
• Goldwell was appointed to the sixth stall in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in 1460 and held this until 1472.[3]

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