William de Turbeville


William de Turbeville 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.

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