Fernham, Nicholas of

Fernham, Nicholas Of (or Nicolas de Ferneham), was born at Farnham, Surrey, and was educated as a physician at Oxford. He became a student in Paris, and there gained great esteem, being accounted famosus Anglicanus (Matthew Paris, 1229). Here he continued until the university was in effect dissolved through the discords between the clergy and people. He lived for some years in Bologna, and on his return home became physician to Henry III, who at last made him bishop of Chester. Fernham became bishop of Durham in 1241, which see he also resigned in 1249. He wrote many books "of the practice in physic and use of herbs," and died at Stockton in private life in February 1258. See Fuller, Worthies of England (ed. Nuttall), 3:206.