History: Bishop Odo

Within weeks of William the Conqueror landing at Pevensey Bay in Sussex and his crowning as King in Westminster Abbey, Chilham which William had confiscated from Saxon noblemen was given to his illegitimate half-brother Bishop Odo of Bayeux. Bishop Odo was a greedy and powerful person and it is said that he claimed he would not rest until he owned all the land he could see from Chilham and that included Canterbury. Later Odo was banished by William to Rouen, but he was allowed to keep most of his lands but lost Chilham.