 Norreis was a native of northern England and his family was probably of Norse origin . He was a monk at Christ Church Priory , the cathedral chapter of Canterbury Cathedral ; when he became a monk is unknown . In 1187 he was appointed treasurer of the priory , 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 . The archbishop and his monks were in dispute over Baldwin 's plan to found a collegiate church at Hackington in honour of Thomas Becket which most of the monks opposed because they feared it would diminish the prestige of their priory . 
