Æthelric was deposed by the Council of Windsor on 24 May 1070 and imprisoned at Marlborough, being replaced by Stigand (not the same as the archbishop), who later moved the seat of the diocese to Chichester. It is possible, that his deposition was tied to the fact that about that time, King Harold of England's mother and sister took refuge with the count of Flanders. If Æthelric was related to the Godwin's, King William I of England may have feared that the bishop would use his diocese to launch a rebellion. Other reasons put forward include the fact that Æthelric had been consecrated by Stigand, but the other bishop that Stigand had consecrated, Siward the Bishop of Rochester was not deposed. Æthelric was a monk, and while not having a great reputation for sanctity, he was not held to be immoral either. The pope did not feel that his deposition had been handled correctly, so his deposition was confirmed at the Council of Winchester on 1 April 1076. It continued to be considered uncanonical, but Æthelric was never restored to his bishopric.