page_title: St Peter's Collegiate Church
section_title: 1135–89: Anarchy and after
hierarchical_section_title: St Peter's Collegiate Church / History / 1135–89: Anarchy and after
caption_attribution_description: English: Effigy of Henry II of England in the church of Fontevraud Abbey
context_page_description: St Peter's Collegiate Church is located on the northern side of central Wolverhampton, England. For many centuries it was a chapel royal, and from 1480 a royal peculiar, independent of the Diocese of Lichfield and even the Province of Canterbury. The collegiate church was central to the development of the town of Wolverhampton, much of which belonged to its dean. Until the 18th century, it was the only church in Wolverhampton and the control of the college extended far into the surrounding area, with dependent chapels in several towns and villages of southern Staffordshire.
  Fully integrated into the diocesan structure since 1848, today St Peter's is part of the Anglican Parish of Central Wolverhampton. The Grade I listed building, much of which is Perpendicular in style, dating from the 15th century, is of significant architectural and historical interest. Although it is not a cathedral, it has a strong choral foundation in keeping with English Cathedral tradition. The Father Willis organ is of particular note: a campaign to raise £300,000 for its restoration was launched in 2008. Restoration began in 2018.
context_section_description: However, The Anarchy, the confused civil strife of King Stephen's reign, brought great challenges. First the church was seized by Roger, Bishop of Salisbury. Roger had risen to be Lord Chancellor and Henry I's chief minister and had vowed to support the succession of the Empress Matilda, Henry I's daughter and chosen heir. He broke his word on Henry's death, citing her marriage to Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, as justification. His support was initially crucial in allowing Stephen to consolidate his rule after his coup d'état of 1135, and he used his influence to extend his property, building a powerful political clique that included his nephews, Nigel, Bishop of Ely and Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln. Stephen felt threatened by his over-mighty Chancellor and moved against him on 24 October 1139. Provoked into a brawl at the king's court at Oxford, Roger and his family were disgraced and dispossessed. He lost the church at Wolverhampton and its lands, along with much else, and died in December. At Oxford, in 1139 or 1140, Stephen granted Wolverhampton church to Roger de Clinton, described as Bishop of Chester and Lichfield Cathedral. He also issued a writ of intendence, calling on all the clergy, laity and tenants to transfer their loyalty to Bishop Roger.
  The canons were outraged at this betrayal of trust, which left them at the mercy of a powerful magnate in their own vicinity, and appealed to Pope Eugenius III. It is notable that around this time the dedication was changed to St Peter, which would be a flattering move in negotiations with Rome. Occasionally thereafter it was described as the Church of St Peter and St Paul. Whatever dedication is given, the church's seals generally picture both saints. Despite the briefness of the interlude under Lichfield, the impact of Bishop Roger de Clinton and his chapter of secular clergy at Lichfield may have been considerable. The diocese had three centres: Coventry, Chester and Lichfield. As the other centres were so heavily involved in the military action of Stephen's reign, it seems that Clinton gave renewed emphasis to the religious role of Lichfield, re-establishing it as the headquarters of his see. It seems that he reorganised Lichfield's chapter on a prebendal model in order to counterbalance the monastic chapter at Coventry and using Rouen Cathedral as his model. At some time in the mid-12th century, probably under the control of Lichfield, Wolverhampton was reorganised along similar lines, with a dean and prebendaries. King Stephen restored Wolverhampton church to Worcester priory by 1152, perhaps as early as 1144. In his concession, he described himself as prius inconsulte – previously ill-advised.
  Stephen was forced to agree that he would be succeeded by Matilda's son, Henry Plantagenet, at that time already Duke of Normandy and Duke of Aquitaine. Even before he succeeded to the throne, Henry issued a charter in which he described the church at Wolverhampton as "my chapel", restored all its privileges from the time of Henry I, and recognised it as free from secular taxation.
  H., dux Normannorum et Aquitanorum, et cornes Andegavorum, omnibus archiepiscopis, episcopis, comitibus, baronibus, justiciis, vicecomitibus, et omnibus amicis et fidelibus suis Normannis et Anglis, salutem.
  Sciatis me concessisse ecclesie de Wlvronehamptona, capelle mee, omnem illam libertatem quam habuit in tempore H. regis, avi mei, et omnem illam quietanciam in bosco et plano, in pratis et pascuis, in aquis et extra, in viis et semitis et omnibus locis; et canonicis ejusdem ecclesie eandem concedo libertatem et quietanciam. Quare mando et firmiter precipio ut eadem ecclesia, capella mea, libera sit et quieta ab omnibus consuetudinibus et exactionibus cum omnibus pertinentiis suis, et canonici omnia sua libere et quiete possideant, ne quis eis dampnum vel molestiam vel injuriam aliquam facere presumat.
  Testibus: Rogero comite Herefordie, Waltero fratre suo constabulario, Henrico fratre suo, Gervasio Paganell. germano. Apud Dudeleg.
  Notification by Henry, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, 
caption: Effigy of Henry II at Fontevraud Abbey.
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