: THE ABBEY GATEWAY. _A. Pumphrey, Photo._]

Again there was an interval of two years before the appointment of

#Ralph Ireton# (1280-1292), Prior of Gisburne. He was elected by the
prior and canons of Carlisle, in 1278, without royal licence; so the
king (Edward I.) fined the chapter 500 marks, and refused his assent.
Eventually Pope Nicholas III. quashed the appointment on the grounds
that it had been technically wrong, and then nominated Ireton to the
vacant see. Edward agreed to this, pardoned the prior on payment of
L 100, and restored the temporalities in 1280. Ireton was avaricious, and
extorted money from the clergy. This he used for building a new roof to
the cathedral. He died in 1292, and was buried in the cathedral; where,
shortly after, his tomb and a great deal of his work was destroyed by
the great fire which occurred in May that same year.

#John of Halton# (1292-1324), Canon and Prior of Carlisle; Custos of
Carlisle Castle. He defended the city against Wallace. The diocese
suffered so often from the ravages of the Scots that more than once he
had to obtain remission of the Papal taxation levied on the clergy. He
was employed many times in various negotiations with Scotland, his last
embassy being in 1320. He died four years later, and was buried in the
cathedral.

#John de Ros# (or #Rosse#) (1325-1332), Canon of Hereford. He was
appointed by the Pope to Carlisle in 1325. During his episcopate he was
frequently non-resident. He died in 1332.

#John de Kirkby# (1332-1352), Prior of Carlisle, was bishop during very
troubled times, and took part in many raids made on the Scots. He helped
to raise the siege of Edinburgh in 1337. Five years later he took part
in an expedition to raise the siege of Lochmaben Castle. In 1345 the
Scots made a raid into Cumberland, and were defeated. The bishop, while
fighting valorously against them, was unhorsed and nearly taken
prisoner. The following year he was one of the English leaders at the
battle of Neville's Cross. He died in 1352.

#Gilbert Welton# (1353-1362). The chapter of Carlisle had, with the
king's leave, elected John de Horncastle, but the Pope annulled the
election, and made Gilbert Welton bishop. He was a very busy official of
the king; amongst other matters he was one of the commissioners who
treated for the ransom of David of Scotland, and was also a warden of
the western marches.

#Thomas Appleby# (1363-1395), Canon of Carlisle. More than once duri