In 1202, Norreis became embroiled in a dispute with his monks and his episcopal superior the Bishop of Worcester; litigation and argumentation lasted until his deposition in 1213.
[2] In 1187, he was appointed treasurer of the priory,[4] and in that role was sent by the cathedral chapter to King Henry II of England to plead their case against Baldwin of Forde, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
[c] Baldwin then tried to have Norreis installed as prior at Christ Church's dependent priory of St Martin's, Dover,[2] but the appointment was never confirmed.
[1] Before the truce could be hammered out, Baldwin appointed Norreis as prior of Christ Church in October 1189 as another move in the quarrel over the Hackington project.
[1] The agreement came at a council held by Richard in late November 1189 at which the monks agreed to let the king settle the dispute over the Hackington project if the archbishop would withdraw Norreis's appointment.
[10] Many of the details concerning Norreis's career at Christ Church come from the works of Gervase of Canterbury, as well as the collection of letters known as the Epistolae Cantuarienses.
[3] He owed his appointment to King Richard[2] and to Baldwin's attempts to make the dismissal from Christ Church look less like a defeat for the archbishop.
Because Evesham had traditionally claimed to be exempt from episcopal oversight by the see of Worcester, in which it was located, the monks could only appeal to the papacy or to a papal legate.
Walter forced Norreis to make some compromises with his subordinates, but the truce did not last long, and the monks once again complained of their treatment.
The monks again appealed to Walter in about 1200, but between the archbishop's preoccupation with political affairs and Norreis's promises to reform, no solid changes occurred.
[2] The monks won a victory on the question of the abbey's exemption from episcopal visitation in 1206, but other elements of the quarrel remained unresolved, including that of the disputed churches.
[13] Later that year the monks became so annoyed by Norreis's abuse that they abandoned the abbey and did not return until they secured the abbot's confirmation of their rights.
[20] Norreis gave gifts to the legate's nephew,[15] refused to sign the agreement,[20] and took revenge on his opponents by expelling Thomas of Marlborough and his allies from the monastery.
[24] The legate found that the abbot was living well, wearing non-monastic clothes, and enjoying the company of young women in his dwelling, while his monks suffered.
[2] Norreis was deposed five months later owing to his continued bad morals and behaviour[25] and again went to Rome in a bid to be restored to office.
John Moorman described Norreis as a man "totally unsuited to the delicate and responsible task of ruling over a company of men and directing the affairs of a wealthy corporation".
[23] David Knowles, a historian of English monasticism, wrote that Norreis was "utterly unworthy to hold spiritual office of any kind", and that Baldwin's appointment of him as prior at Christ Church "must always remain a dark stain on the archbishop's reputation".