    ralph neville (or ralf nevill;clanchy from memory to written record p. 90 died 1244) was a medieval clergyman and politician who served as bishop of chichester and lord chancellor of england. neville first appears in the historical record in 1207 in the service of king john of england, and remained in royal service throughout the rest of his life. by 1213 neville had custody of the great seal of england, although he was not named chancellor, the office responsible for the seal, until 1226. he was rewarded with the bishopric of chichester in 1222. although he was also briefly archbishop-elect of canterbury and bishop-elect of winchester, both elections were set aside, or quashed, and he held neither office. as keeper of the seal, and subsequently as chancellor, neville was noted for his impartiality, and he oversaw a number of changes in the way the chancery operated. neville was deprived of the great seal in 1238 after quarrelling with the king, but continued to hold the title of chancellor until his death. he died in his london palace, built on a street later renamed chancery lane owing to his connection with the chancery. ==early life== neville, who was illegitimate, had at least three brothers: nicholas de neville, a canon at chichester cathedral; william de neville, treasurer of the see of chichester; and robert de neville, holder of a prebend at chichester. the identity of their father is unknown,young making of the neville family p. xiii but another likely sibling was roger, who held land in lincolnshire.vincent "origins of the chancellorship" english historical review pp. 111â112 robert became chancellor of the exchequer, and nicholas a bar
1244_deaths 13th-century_English_people 13th-century_Roman_Catholic_bishops Archbishops_of_Canterbury Bishops_of_Chichester Burials_at_Chichester_Cathedral Deans_of_Lichfield Lord_Chancellors_of_England Lord_Chancellors_of_Ireland Neville_family