This volume investigates the administrative and ecclesiastical governance of the Lincoln diocese during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. David M. Smith, a noted scholar of medieval church records, compiles and edits the surviving acta of Bishops Hugh of Avalon and William of Blois. The work provides a rigorous framework for understanding the legal, social, and religious authority exercised by the episcopate in medieval England.

Historians and researchers frequently cite this volume as a foundational reference for the study of medieval English church administration. Experts highlight the meticulous editorial standards and the density of the primary source material as essential for academic inquiry into the period.