This volume investigates the administrative and ecclesiastical governance of the Diocese of Durham during the critical transition period between 1196 and 1237. M. G. Snape, a specialist in medieval ecclesiastical records, compiles and analyzes the acta of three distinct bishops: Philip of Poitou, Richard Marsh, and Richard Poore. The text provides a rigorous framework for understanding how these figures navigated the political and religious tensions of the medieval north through their official documents and decrees.

Historians and medievalists regard this volume as a foundational reference for the study of the northern English church. Scholars frequently note the meticulous editorial standards and the high density of primary source material provided for academic research.