Paulinus of Leeds seems to have played a key role in promoting the cult of St William and was a considerable figure in his own right. The confusion that surrounds both his career and his family connections has obscured from view what must be considered one of the most interesting York dynasties of the period. Paulinus was the son of Ralph Nowell, bishop of the Orkneys. He was himself at one point offered a bishopric, which he declined, and he ended his life as master of St Peter's Hospital in York (also known as St Leonard's Hospital), one of the richest hospitals in the country. Like his father, he continued the old tradition of clerical marriage. His son Ralph adopted his grandfather's surname but not his clerical calling, and emerged as one of the leading citizens of York. His name is associated with one of the defining moments in the emergence of corporate government within the city. The three generations of the Nowell family (alias Noel, Novell or Nuvell) were prominent York figures for well over a century, and impinged upon the story of St William at several crucial moments. It may be useful to gather the evidence together in one place (Genealogical Table 4).

Ralph Nowell the elder is the least problematic of the three so far as the evidence is concerned, but by no means the least interesting. The outlines of his career are reasonably well known, and need not be rehearsed at length. He was a contemporary of William fitzHerbert, and first enters the history of the church of York at about the same time. He was consecrated bishop of the Orkneys by Archbishop Thomas II in 1109 x 1114. It is far from certain that he ever succeeded in establishing himself at the head of his diocese. At any rate, if he did, it was only for a short period, and most of his life was passed in exile from his diocese, involved in the affairs of the church of York. He was treated as one of the Scottish bishops by Pope Calixtus II at the time of the Council of Reims, and, in the context of Archbishop Thurstan's attempts during the 1120s to establish York's claims over the Scottish dioceses, strenuous efforts were made, with papal support, to re-instate Ralph at the head of his diocese.