Editing Simon Sudbury (section)

==Life==

The son of Nigel Theobald, Simon of Sudbury (as he later became known) was born at [[Sudbury, Suffolk|Sudbury]] in Suffolk, studied at the [[University of Paris]], and became one of the chaplains of [[Pope Innocent VI]],<ref name=JPNeale>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBhAAAAAYAAJ&q=%22sudbury%22&pg=PA35|title=Views of the most interesting collegiate and parochial churches in Great Britain|author=Neale, John Preston|author-link=John Preston Neale|publisher=Longman |year=1825|pages=35–36}}</ref> one of the [[Avignon Papacy|Avignon popes]], who in 1356 sent him on a mission to [[Edward III of England]].

In 1361 Sudbury was made [[Chancellor (ecclesiastical)|Chancellor]] of [[Salisbury]]<ref name=JPNeale/> and in October that year the pope provided him to be [[Bishop of London]], Sudbury's consecration occurring on 20 March 1362.<ref name=Handbook258>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 258</ref> He was soon serving Edward III as an ambassador and in other ways. On 4 May 1375 he succeeded [[William Whittlesey]] as archbishop of Canterbury,<ref name=Handbook233>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 233</ref> and during the rest of his life was a partisan of [[John of Gaunt]].

In July 1377, following the death of Edward III in June, Simon of Sudbury [[Coronation of the British monarch|crowned]] the new king, [[Richard II of England|Richard II]], at [[Westminster Abbey]], and in 1378 [[John Wyclif]]fe appeared before him at [[Lambeth Palace|Lambeth]], but Sudbury only undertook proceedings against him under great pressure.

In January 1380, Sudbury became [[Lord Chancellor]] of England,<ref name=Handbook86>Fryde ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 86</ref> and the [[Peasants' Revolt|insurgent peasants]] regarded him as one of the principal authors of their woes. Having released [[John Ball (priest)|John Ball]] from his prison at [[Maidstone]], the [[Kent]]ish [[Insurgency|insurgents]] attacked and damaged the archbishop's property at [[Canterbury]] and Lambeth; then, rushing into the [[Tower of London]], they seized the archbishop himself. So unpopular was Sudbury with the rebellious peasants that guards simply allowed the rebels through the gates, the reason being his role in introducing the third [[poll tax]].

===Death===
[[File:St Gregory's church in Sudbury - archbishop Simon's skull - geograph.org.uk - 2094629.jpg|thumb|left|Simon Sudbury's preserved head at [[St Gregory's Church, Sudbury]]]]
Sudbury, who was saying [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] in [[St John's Chapel, London|St John's Chapel]], was dragged to [[Tower Hill]] together with [[Robert Hales (knight)|Sir Robert Hales]], the [[Lord High Treasurer]]. According to an account written by [[John Stow]] two centuries later, Sudbury was beheaded by eight frenzied sword blows to his neck, one of which also took off the fingers from one hand. His body lay in the open all day, but his severed head had his [[Academic dress in the United Kingdom#Hood|clerical hood]] nailed onto it and was fixed to a pole, then placed on [[London Bridge]]. His body was afterwards taken to [[Canterbury Cathedral]], though his head was taken down after six days by [[William Walworth]], the [[Lord Mayor of London]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Sperling |first=Charles Fredirick Denne |date=1896 |title=A Short History of the Borough of Sudbury, in the County of Suffolk, compiled from materials collected by W. W. Hodson |url=https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofbo00sper/page/96/mode/2up |location=Sudbury, Suffolk |publisher=B R Martin|pages=110–112 }}</ref> and was taken to Sudbury, where it is still kept at [[St Gregory's Church, Sudbury|St Gregory's Church]], which Sudbury had partly rebuilt.<ref name=JPNeale/> With his brother, John of Chertsey, he also founded a college in Sudbury; he also did some building at Canterbury. His father was Nigel Theobald, sometimes called Simon Theobald or Tybald, who is also buried at St Gregory's, with his wife Sara.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stgregorychurchsudbury.co.uk/history/ |title=History – St Gregory's Church Sudbury Suffolk |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=www.stgregorychurchsudbury.co.uk |publisher=St Gregory's Sudbury |access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref>

In March 2011 a [[X-ray computed tomography|CT scan]] of Sudbury's [[Mummy|mummified]] skull was performed at the [[West Suffolk Hospital]] to make a [[Forensic facial reconstruction|facial reconstruction]],<ref>{{Cite web | title=Skull scan for Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Theobald | date=17 March 2011 | publisher=[[BBC Online]] | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-12775234 | access-date=20 March 2011 }}</ref> which was completed in September 2011 by [[forensics]] expert Adrienne Barker at the [[University of Dundee]].<ref>{{Cite web | title=Face of Simon of Sudbury revealed by forensic artist.| date=13 September 2011 | publisher=[[BBC Online]] | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-14896640 | access-date=13 September 2011}}  Page includes illustrations of face.</ref>

[[File:Tower Hill scaffold location - Sign 2.jpg|thumb|right|Plaque at [[Tower Hill]], commemorating notable executions at that site]]
Sudbury's tomb in Canterbury Cathedral contains his corpse with a lead [[cannonball]] in place of the missing head. The stone [[sarcophagus]] lacks the original gilt copper effigy, which was destroyed during the [[English Reformation]], but the elaborately-carved stone canopy survives. By ancient tradition, the [[mayor of Canterbury]] places a wreath of red roses on the tomb at an annual civic service on Christmas Day, in recognition of Sudbury's good works for the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canterbury-archaeology.org.uk/sudbury/4590809726 |title=Archbishop Sudbury |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2015 |website=www.canterbury-archaeology.org.uk |publisher=Canterbury Historical and Archaeological Society |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref>