John Castell

John Castell
Chancellor of the University of Oxford
In office
1421–1426
Preceded byWalter Treugof
Succeeded byThomas Chase
King's Clerk
In office
1420
Preceded byJohn Stone
Succeeded byWilliam Alnwick
Master of University College
In office
c. 1408 – 1420
Preceded byJohn Appleton
Succeeded byRobert Burton
Personal details
Bornc. 1380
Died1426 (age about 46)

John Castell (a.k.a. John Castle[1]) (c. 1380 – 1426) was a Master of University College, Oxford,[2] and later a Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Castell was a Fellow of University College. He became Master of the College circa 1408.[2] He also held preferment in the Diocese of York with his mastership.[1] In 1411, a sentence of excommunication was issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Arundel, against Castell, Fellows at the College — Robert Burton (later Master of the College), John Hamerton, and Adam Redyford — and the College as a whole, due to Lollardy leanings.[2] An appeal to the Pope against the excommunication was made by the bursar of the College, John Ryvell. Castell survived the controversy and continued as Master until 1420.

John Castell was appointed a King's Clerk in 1420. In 1421, he became Chancellor of Oxford University, a position he held until 1426.

  1. ^ a b Carr, William, University College, Routledge, 1998. ISBN 978-0-415-18632-2. Chapter IV, The Fifteenth Century: Early Benefactors, Buildings, and Further Statutes (pages 53–73).
  2. ^ a b c Darwall-Smith, Robin, A History of University College, Oxford. Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-19-928429-0. Pages 45, 49–50, 52, 57, 73–74, 79, 106, 529.