Richard of Chichester

Orphaned, he first restored the ruined family farm, then studied at Oxford, Paris and Bologna and became chancellor of the university of Oxford. Elected bishop of Chichester in 1244, he ran into Henry III, who had pressed another candidate and refused to hand over the diocese's property. For nearly two years Richard administered his church without revenues or palace: lodged with a country priest, he visited his parishes on foot and lived on what he was given. The king finally gave way under threat of excommunication. Restored to his see, he required priests to know their business, forbade charging for the sacraments, and died at Dover in 1253 while preaching a crusade. Canonised in 1262, he stayed popular in England for a prayer attributed to him that generations of schoolchildren have learnt.