This work investigates the ecclesiastical and political influence of Roger, Bishop of Worcester, during the volatile period of the late twelfth century. M. G. Cheney, a respected scholar of medieval church administration, utilizes extensive archival research and primary source documentation to reconstruct the career of a key figure in the Angevin church. The text argues that Roger served as a critical mediator between the crown and the papacy, providing a nuanced framework for understanding the complexities of episcopal governance in medieval England.

Historians and medievalists frequently cite this monograph as a foundational text for understanding the administrative history of the twelfth-century English church. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous and highly detailed account of episcopal life during this era.