Few eleventh-century English bishops can be studied in detail owing to a lack of evidence, but Bishop Leofric is an exception. Although conventional historical sources yield little, a detailed picture of Leofric's personality, interests and relationship with his Chapter and diocese can be built up from his obituary notice (Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 579, fol. 3-3Y), the list of his donations to his cathedral (Exeter, Dean and Chapter, MS 3501, fols 1-2.) and especially from a codicological and palaeographical study of the manuscripts and charters which were either written at Exeter during his episcopate or given by him to his cathedral church. Because the use of this type of manuscript evidence is unusual, a detailed study had to be made of all the manuscripts to which an Exeter origin had been ascribed to build up a picture of the scriptorium at work. The 'Exeter' style, whose existence was already recognised, was defined in detail along with a consideration of its English models. Exeter was revealed as a centre where English and continental influences mingled. As William of Malmesbury said, Leofric was trained in Lotharingia, and at a time when the Gregorian reform movement was beginning there. Leofric moved his diocesan seat from rural Crediton to urban Exeter and set up a Chapter of celibate secular canons following the Rule of Chrodegang. Leofric and the canons worked together to build up the material and spiritual (books and relics) endowments of the cathedral church, partly to prepare themselves for pastoral work amongst the laity, to which the Rule enjoined both bishop and canons. Leofric (and probably other Lotharingian bishops appointed by the Confessor) anticipated by some twenty years many of the ecclesiastical reforms propagated by Lanfranc.