Gisa, Bishop of Wells

Gisa
Bishop of Wells
Gisa's effigy on his tomb
Elected	January 1060 or January 1061
Term ended	1088
Predecessor	Duduc
Successor	John of Tours
Other posts	royal chaplain
Orders
Consecration	15 April 1061 by Pope Nicholas II
Personal details
Born	Lorraine
Died	1088
Buried	Wells Cathedral

Gisa (also spelt Giso; died 1088) was Bishop of Wells from 1060 to 1088. A native of Lorraine, Gisa came to England as a chaplain to King Edward the Confessor. After his appointment to Wells, he travelled to Rome rather than be consecrated by Stigand, the Archbishop of Canterbury. As bishop, Gisa added buildings to his cathedral, introduced new saints to his diocese, and instituted the office of archdeacon in his diocese. After the Norman Conquest, Gisa took part in the consecration of Lanfranc, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, and attended Lanfranc's church councils. His tomb in Wells Cathedral was opened in the 20th century and a cross was discovered in his tomb.

Gisa was born in Lorraine, probably the village of St Trond in modern Belgium, and was among a number of foreign churchmen brought to England by King Edward the Confessor. At first he held the position of king's chaplain, but in January 1060 or possibly January 1061 he was elected to become Bishop of Wells. Pope Nicholas II consecrated him on 15 April 1061 in Rome. He went to Rome for consecration because the current Archbishop of Canterbury was Stigand, whom successive popes had excommunicated for various irregularities, and traveled in company with another bishop—Walter of Lorraine, the Bishop of Hereford-elect—and Tostig Godwinson. The Vita Edwardi says that he was "most suitably and excellently trained".

On Gisa's arrival in the see he found the church there quite poor. He constructed cloisters to the north of Wells Cathedral and communal buildings to the south for the canons. He ordered the canons to live together under a rule, but exactly which rule it was is unknown. After the Conquest, he introduced the veneration of new saints into his cathedral, as well as setting up an archdeacon in the diocese for the first time. He also wrote a history of the church. He worked to restore lands formerly held by the bishop or cathedral that had been unjustly acquired by others.