Richard de Beresford or Bereford ( died after 1318 ) was an English-born cleric who held high office in Ireland in the early fourteenth century ,becoming Lord High Treasurer of Ireland

Lord High Treasurer of Ireland

The Lord High Treasurer of Ireland was the chief financial officer of that kingdom until the treasuries of Great Britain and Ireland were united in 1817...

 and Lord Chancellor of Ireland

Lord Chancellor of Ireland

The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...

.

Early career

Elrington Ball states that he was a cousin of William Bereford

William Bereford

Sir William Bereford was an English justice. He was the son of Walter de Bereford, with the family name coming from the village of Barford, Warwickshire. In 1287 his brother, Osbert de Bereford, a previous High Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire, bought a property in Wishaw, and after his...

, the English Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. The Bereford family came from Barford

Barford

Barford could be a reference to:Placesone of the following settlements in England:*Barford, Hampshire*Barford, Norfolk*Barford, Warwickshire*Barford St. John, Oxfordshire*Barford St Martin, Wiltshire*Barford St...

 in Warwickshire

Warwickshire

Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...

. Richard is first head of in 1283 collecting tax in Worcestershire

Worcestershire

Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...

; in 1284 he was in the service of the Bishop of Salisbury

Bishop of Salisbury

The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...

. In 1291 he became vicar of St. Mary, Shenley in Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....

 and held the living for many years, although he complained of serious damage and theft of property in 1295.

Career in Ireland

He first came to Ireland in 1300 as Treasurer, and held office until 1308. His conduct came in for some criticism: shortly after his departure from Ireland Ralph de Monthermer complained in the Justiciar's Court that Richard had unlawfully seized money and goods to the value of four hundred pounds which should have come to Ralph on the death of his wife Joan of Acre

Joan of Acre

Joan of Acre was an English princess, a daughter of the King Edward I of England and queen Eleanor of Castile...

, daughter of Edward I.The Justiciar ordered repayment to Ralph in full, which suggests that Bereford's conduct was questionable at least. He was also Lord Chancellor of Ireland, although as often at this period there is confusion over the precise dates.

He died after 1318, when he is still recorded as vicar of Shenley.