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Walter was born probably at Merton in Surrey or educated there; hence the surname. He came of a land-owning family at Basingstoke; beyond that there is no definite information as to the date or place of birth. We know that his mother was Christina Fitz-Oliver and his father William , and that in 1237 both parents were dead, and Walter was a clerk in Holy orders. In 1241 Walter already held a number of livings in various parts of the country; in 1256 he was an agent for the Bishop of Durham in a lawsuit; in 1259 prebendary of St. Paul's, London; and in 1262 prebendary of Exeter and canon of WellsThis article is about the city of Wells in England. For other meanings, see Wells (disambiguation Wells is a small city in the Mendip district of Somerset. It is reputed to be England's smallest city with a population of only 10,000. Technically, though,. Walter was also prothonotary of the chancery in 1258Events February 10 Mongols overrun Baghdad, burning it to the ground and killing 800,000 citizens Llywelyn the Last declares himself Prince of Wales. He is the final ruler of an independent Wales, before its conquest by the English. John IV Lascaris succe; and in 1261Events July 25 Constantinople re-captured by Nicaean forces under the command of Michael VIII Palaeologus, Byzantine Empire re-formed August 29 Urban IV becomes Pope, the last man to do so without being a Cardinal first Bela IV of Hungary repels Tatar inv Henry IIIHenry III ( October 1, 1207 November 16, 1272) is one of the least-known British monarchs, considering the great length of his reign. He was born in 1207, the son of King John, and succeeded to the throne at the age of nine, with the result that the count made him chancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain or Lord Chancellor and in former times Chancellor of England is one of the most senior and important functionaries in the government of the United Kingdom. He is a Great Officer of State, and is appointed by the S, in place of Nicholas of ElyNicholas of Ely was Lord Chancellor of England, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Winchester, and Lord High Treasurer in the 13th century. He was appointed chancellor by Henry III, but then sacked in favour of Walter de Merton; also, he served at the See of. It was in this same year that Walter first set aside two manors in Surrey for the priory at Merton, for the support of "scholars residing at the schools". This was the beginning of Merton College. In 1264Events May 12 The Battle of Lewes begins (ends May 14). Merton College, Oxford is founded by Walter de Merton. Births Pope Clement V May 26 Prince Koreyasu, 7th Kamakura shogun of Japan Deaths October 2 Pope Urban IV Monarchs/Presidents Aragon James I Kin Walter drew up statutes for a "house of the scholars of Merton", at MaldenMalden is the name of some places: Malden, Essex, England Malden, London, England (this may be New Malden) Malden, Massachusetts, United States of America Malden, Missouri, United States of America Malden, Gelderland, Netherlands Malden Island, Kiribati. in Surrey; ten years later these scholars were transferred to Oxford, and a permanent house established.

Merton College, thus founded and endowed by Walter, is the earliest example of collegiate life at Oxford. Walter's statutes provided for a common corporate life under the rule of a warden, but as vows were to be taken and scholars entering a religious order forfeited their scholarship, the college was really a place of training for the secular clergy. While labouring for the establishment of Merton College, Walter was removed from the chancellorship when the barons triumphed in 1263, but was restored again on Henry III's death in 1272. He is mentioned as a justiciar in 1271, and three years later ( 21 October, 1274) he was consecrated Bishop of Rochester . While fording the Medway, Bishop Walter fell from his horse and died two days later from the effects of the accident. He was buried in Rochester cathedral, and is described in the "Annales monastici" as a man of liberality and great worldly learning, ever ready in his assistance to the religious orders.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Catholic Encyclopedia. Based on Catholic Encyclopedia