Thomas Charlton (bishop)

Thomas Charlton (died 11 January 1344) was Bishop of Hereford, Lord High Treasurer of England, Lord Privy Seal, and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He is buried in Hereford Cathedral in Hereford, Herefordshire, England.

Family
Charlton was born near Wellington, Shropshire, younger son of Robert de Charleton of Apley, a small landowner. Thomas' eldest brother was John Charleton, 1st Baron Cherleton, who became a statesman of some importance. Both brothers were in the household of Edward II, and Thomas received numerous ecclesiastical preferments.

The executors of his will were: Alan Cherleton, knight, John Cherleton, junior, knight; William de Sheynton, Richard de Sydenhale, Henry Shipton, Adam Esger and Alan Venyse.

Appointments
Charlton was Lord Privy Seal from 1316 to 1320.

Charlton was nominated to be Bishop of Hereford on 25 September 1327 and consecrated on 18 October 1327.

In Ireland
In 1337 his brother John was appointed Justiciar of Ireland, and Thomas accompanied him to Ireland as Lord Chancellor. He was charged by the English Crown to inquire into the perceived inadequacy and corruption of the Irish courts of common law and was authorised to remove the Irish judges and appoint English replacements. His mission does not seem to have been a success, as most of the existing judges, notably the notoriously corrupt Simon Fitz-Richard, the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas, fought off all attempts to replace them. John resigned as justiciar in 1338, following a dispute, and Thomas moved from the Chancellorship to the position of custos rotulorum for Ireland.

Charlton was also Lord High Treasurer from 2 July 1328 until 16 September 1329.