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Thomas Langley was born in 1363 in Middleton.  He was the third son of Alice and William.  His great Uncle William was the Rector of St. Leonard's Parish Church, Middleton.  He attended St Mary’s Abbey at Thetford from 1375 until 1381.

In 1385 he was appointed Rector of Radcliffe.  Langley was then appointed Dean of York; however this appointment was blocked by Pope Boniface IX due to Langley’s part in the deposition and murder of King Richard II.

In October 1404 Thomas Langley was elected Bishop of London; however the new Pope, Innocent VII, refused to allow his installation.

King Henry IV appointed Langley as his Lord Chancellor on 2nd March 1405.

 
Following the unsuccessful rebellion led in large part by Archbishop Richard le Scrope of York and his subsequent death, Langley was appointed as Archbishop, yet again, this appointment was blocked by the Pope.
 
 Further information and links

Read more about the school Langley helped to found, which eventually became Middleton Grammar School.

More about the parish church, St. Leonard's, the Norman church which was rebuilt during Langley's return home to Middleton.

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Langley was successfully installed as Bishop of Durham at Saint Paul’s Cathedral in 1406.

In 1412 Thomas Langley returned to Middleton after an absence of 27 years.  It was during this time that the rebuilding of the Norman parish church took place.  He founded the Chantry school of Saint Cuthbert in the Chapel of Our Lady and Saint Cuthbert for the education local children. 

The parish church was re-consecrated and rededicated to Saint Leonard.  He also founded a school related to the church (Middleton Grammar School).


From 1406 to his semi-retirement in 1430, he spent 5,670 days in the service of the crown. During the reign of Henry V, he spent much of his time in the service of the crown - a politician first and churchman second.

He returned to Middleton for the last time in 1424.  From 1430 until his death on 20th November 1437, he attended to his diocese, something he had, by his own admission, neglected. He continued with various diplomatic work when called upon by the government.


Cardinal Thomas Langley is buried in the
Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral.  His tomb blocks the Great West Door of the cathedral.

 
     
 
   
         

hms middleton
the second royal navy ship to bear our town's name

 

old grammar school
queen elizabeth's was founded in 1572

 

olde boars head
dating back to 1587 one very old public house

         

the school house
the grade II listed former home of parish school

 

long street church
architect edgar wood's masterpiece

 

j.w. lees
founded in 1828, still making a cracking pint!

         

peterloo massacre
sam bamford's account of the manchester massacre

 

middleton dialect
discover words and phrases from the past

 

who was st. leonard?
the church is dedicated to st leonard, who was he?

         

samuel bamford
a local writer, poet and radical

 

regeneration
see the plans for the town, view photos of the work

 

middleton arms
middleton was granted its coat of arms in 1886

         

edgar wood
middleton's famous architect

 

st. leonards
middleton's remarkable old parish church

 

cardinal thomas langley
middleton born, lord chancellor of england

         

joel halliwell
middleton's brave hero from the great war

 

the buildings of edgar wood
in middleton town centre

 

middleton map
middleton's google map

         

middleton band
middleton's brass band

       
 
     
 

Lee Wolf © 2009.  All rights reserved.