John de Stratford

John de Stratford
Archbishop of Canterbury
Tomb of Stratford in Canterbury Cathedral
Appointed	3 November 1333
Installed	unknown
Term ended	23 August 1348
Predecessor	Simon Mepeham
Successor	John de Ufford
Other posts	Bishop of Winchester, Treasurer, Chancellor of England
Personal details
Born	c.1275 Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire
Died	23 August 1348 Mayfield, Sussex
Parents	Robert Stratford, Isabel Stratford

John de Stratford (c.1275 - 1348) was Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of Winchester, Treasurer and Chancellor of England.

Stratford was born into the landed Stratford Family of Stratford-on-Avon around 1275. His father was Robert de Stratford (not to be confused with John's brother, Robert Stratford) and his mother was named Isabel. Robert senior has been identified as ‘Master’ Robert, co-founder and first master of the hospital of St Cross within the town, but in view of the title magister and the celibate status required, this appears unlikely. The family was related to the Hattons, important men in the town, Ralph Hatton ‘of Stratford’, the future bishop of London, being John's nephew. He was a relative of Andrew De Stratford and of Thomas de Stratford and Henry de Stratford (whom he inducted as the rector of a vacant church in North Berkhamstead (Lincoln) on 16 February 1325). Nothing definite is known of Stratford's schooling. He studied at Oxford (not at Merton College, as claimed by the 17th Century antiquarian Anthony Wood, but probably Baliol, whom he remembered in his will), and by 1312 he was entitled doctor of civil law. He entered the service of Worcester Priory, but initially his beneficial progress was slow. However, by 1317 he was rector of Holy Trinity, Stratford, and acting as official of Bishop John Dalderby of Lincoln (d. 1320), whose executor he became. From Lincoln he migrated to Canterbury, and the service of Archbishop Walter Reynolds (d. 1327). He was dean of the court of arches in the early 1320s, by which time he held a useful portfolio of benefices, including canonries at Lichfield, Lincoln, and York, as well as the archdeaconry of Lincoln.

Stratford served as archdeacon of Lincoln, canon of York and dean of the court of arches before 20 June 1323, when he became Bishop of Winchester, an appointment which was made during his visit to Pope John XXII at Avignon and which was very much disliked by Edward II. In 1327 the bishop joined Queen Isabella's partisans; he drew up the six articles against Edward II, and was one of those who visited the captive king at Kenilworth to urge him to abdicate in favour of his son. On 26 November 1326 he was appointed Lord Treasurer of England, a post he held until 28 January 1327.