Accord of Winchester


The Accord of Winchester is the 11th-century document that establishes the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Archbishop of York.
It originated in a dispute over primacy between Thomas, the archbishop of York, and Lanfranc, the new Norman archbishop of Canterbury, soon after the latter had taken office. The case was first heard by [William I of England|King William of London|William I] at the old Saxon royal capital of Winchester at Easter 1072, in the royal chapel in the castle. It was then heard at Windsor at Pentecost, where the final settlement was made, with William deciding in Lanfranc's favour, and formalised in this document.
This did not end the Canterbury–York dispute over the primacy, as it continued for a number of years after this.

Signatories

When King William and Queen Matilda signed the document with crosses, it did not necessarily mean they were unused to writing, infirm or even illiterate. They and all the bishops signed with crosses, as illiterate people would later do, but they did so in accordance with current legal practice, not because they or the bishops could not write their own names.
It was also signed by
and additionally, in the CCA-DCc-ChAnt/A/1 version, :
Both versions are endorsed with descriptions and marks in 13th-century hands.

Copies

The main copies are held at the Canterbury Cathedral archives. There is also one at the British Library.

Versions

In the Canterbury Cathedral Archives:
  • CCA-DCc-Register E, f46r and CCA-DCc-Register I, ff60v-61r
  • CCA-DCc-ChAnt/A/2
In the British Library
  • BL Cotton Appendix 56, ff57r-58r