Beadwulf
Encyclopedia
Beadwulf was the last Bishop of Candida Casa to be consecrated by the Northumbria
n Archbishop of York
. He appears in four years of the chronicles and nowhere else. Nothing else is known of him, and his sole historical significance is that he was a bishop of the short-lived Northumbrian See
of Candida Casa
at Whithorn
.
Beadwulf (alternately spelled Baldwulf, Badulf, Badwulf, or Baldulf) enters the historical record at his consecration as the Bishop of Candida Casa by Archbishop
Eanbald I
on 17 July 791, after his predecessor at Candida Casa, Æthelberht
, was made the Bishop of Hexham
. On 26 May 795 he attended the consecration of King Eardwulf of Northumbria
at York
, and then on 14 August 796 he attended the consecration of Eanbald II
at Sockburn
as the new Archbishop of York. On 11 June 803 Baldwulf attended the consecration of Egbert
at Bywell
as the new Bishop of Lindisfarne. No further record exists, either of him or of the See of Candida Casa.
The latter part of the eighth century was a tumultuous era in Northumbrian history. During Beadwulf's tenure at Candida Casa, the nation was weakened by dynastic strife within its leadership, with kings regularly murdered, deposed, or exiled. Vikings were beginning their increasingly destructive raids on Northumberland, sacking Lindisfarne
in 793 and Jarrow
in 794. The bishoprics were also in decline and if there is any foundation for Alcuin
's 796 letter to the clergy of York regarding simony
, ecclesiastical offices were available for purchase. The kingdom was in its final throes, and in 827 when the appearance of Egbert of Wessex
and his army at Dore
was sufficient to obtain Northumbrian submission, the once-dominant Kingdom of Northumbria disappeared into history.
William of Malmesbury
says that the bishopric at Candida Casa was depopulated and destroyed by the incursions of Picts
and Scots
. There is no evidence to suggest any large-scale predations in Galloway
at this time, but whether or not that was the case, it is certainly likely that the bishopric simply withered and died along with the other Northumbrian bishoprics.
791 – His consecration as Bishop of Candida Casa
The Saxon Chronicle says that Beadwulf was consecrated bishop of Candida Casa by Archbishop Eanbald I
and Bishop Æthelberht of Hexham
on 17 July 791. Symeon of Durham
, writing c. 1108, says that the consecration occurred in a place called "Hearrahaleh". Henry of Huntingdon
, writing c. 1155, says that the consecration was by Eanbald I.
795 – At the consecration of King Eardwulf
The Saxon Chronicle says that Eardwulf
succeeded to the Northumbrian kingdom on 14 May 795, and was consecrated on 26 May 795 at York
by Archbishop Eanbald I and bishops Æthelberht of Hexham, Higbald of Lindisfarne
, and Beadwulf.
796 – At the consecration of Archbishop Eanbald II
The Saxon Chronicle says that Archbishop Eanbald I died on 10 August 796 and was succeeded by Eanbald II
, who was consecrated on 14 August 796. There is no mention of who attended, or the place. Symeon of Durham says that the consecration occurred at Sockburn
, with bishops Æthelberht, Higbald, and Beadwulf attending. The Melrose Chronicle agrees that the three bishops attended the consecration, but makes no mention of its location.
803 – At the consecration of Bishop Egbert of Lindisfarne
The Saxon Chronicle for 803 says that Bishop Higbald of Lindisfarne died on 24 June 803, and was succeeded by Egbert
on 13 June 804. There is no mention of who attended, or the place. Symeon of Durham says that Higbald died on 25 May 803, and that Egbert's consecration was on 11 June 803 at Bywell
, with Archbishop Eanbald II and bishops Eanbert of Hexham and Beadwulf in attendance. John of Worcester
, writing in 1140, says that Higbald died in 802 and that his successor Egbert was consecrated by Archbishop Eanbald II on 2 June 802.
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
n Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
. He appears in four years of the chronicles and nowhere else. Nothing else is known of him, and his sole historical significance is that he was a bishop of the short-lived Northumbrian See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Candida Casa
Candida Casa
Candida Casa was the name given to the church established by St Ninian in Whithorn, Galloway, southern Scotland, in the mid fifth century AD. The name derives from and / , referring possibly to the stone used to construct it, or the whitewash used to paint it.The church site quickly grew to...
at Whithorn
Whithorn
Whithorn is a former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, about ten miles south of Wigtown. The town was the location of the first recorded Christian church in Scotland, Candida Casa : the 'White [or 'Shining'] House', built by Saint Ninian about 397.-Eighth and twelfth centuries:A...
.
Beadwulf (alternately spelled Baldwulf, Badulf, Badwulf, or Baldulf) enters the historical record at his consecration as the Bishop of Candida Casa by Archbishop
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
Eanbald I
Eanbald I
Eanbald was an eighth century Archbishop of York.-Life:...
on 17 July 791, after his predecessor at Candida Casa, Æthelberht
Æthelberht of Whithorn
Æthelberht was a 8th century Anglo-Saxon bishop. His consecration as Bishop of Whithorn can be placed using the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle on 15 June in either 776 or 777, and took place at York. In either 789, 790 or 791 he became Bishop of Hexham; he was succeeded at Whithorn by Beadwulf. He died on...
, was made the Bishop of Hexham
Bishop of Hexham
The Bishop of Hexham was an episcopal title which took its name after the market town of Hexham in Northumberland, England. The title was first used by the Anglo-Saxons in the 7th and 9th centuries, and then by the Roman Catholic Church in the 19th century....
. On 26 May 795 he attended the consecration of King Eardwulf of Northumbria
Eardwulf of Northumbria
Eardwulf was king of Northumbria from 796 to 806, when he was deposed and went into exile. He may have had a second reign from 808 until perhaps 811 or 830. Northumbria in the last years of the eighth century was the scene of dynastic strife between several noble families, and, in 790, the...
at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, and then on 14 August 796 he attended the consecration of Eanbald II
Eanbald II
Eanbald was an eighth century Archbishop of York and correspondent of Alcuin-Life:...
at Sockburn
Sockburn
Sockburn is a village and civil parish in County Durham, in England. It is situated at the bottom of a loop of the River Tees, south of Darlington, known locally as the Sockburn Peninsula. Today, there is not much there apart from an early nineteenth-century mansion, a ruined church and a farmhouse...
as the new Archbishop of York. On 11 June 803 Baldwulf attended the consecration of Egbert
Egbert of Lindisfarne
Egbert of Lindisfarne was Bishop of Lindisfarne from his consecration on 11 June 802 until his death in 821. He is often confused with Saint Egbert who served as a monk at Lindisfarne, though the latter never became a bishop there....
at Bywell
Bywell
Bywell is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne opposite Stocksfield, between Hexham and Newcastle.-Governance:Bywell is in the parliamentary constituency of Hexham.- Landmarks :...
as the new Bishop of Lindisfarne. No further record exists, either of him or of the See of Candida Casa.
Historical context
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
in 793 and Jarrow
Jarrow
Jarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...
in 794. The bishoprics were also in decline and if there is any foundation for Alcuin
Alcuin
Alcuin of York or Ealhwine, nicknamed Albinus or Flaccus was an English scholar, ecclesiastic, poet and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student of Archbishop Ecgbert at York...
's 796 letter to the clergy of York regarding simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
, ecclesiastical offices were available for purchase. The kingdom was in its final throes, and in 827 when the appearance of Egbert of Wessex
Egbert of Wessex
Egbert was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. His father was Ealhmund of Kent...
and his army at Dore
Dore
Dore is a village in South Yorkshire, England. The village lies on a hill above the River Sheaf, and until 1934 was part of Derbyshire, but it is now a suburb of Sheffield. It is served by Dore and Totley railway station on the Hope Valley Line...
was sufficient to obtain Northumbrian submission, the once-dominant Kingdom of Northumbria disappeared into history.
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. C. Warren Hollister so ranks him among the most talented generation of writers of history since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical,...
says that the bishopric at Candida Casa was depopulated and destroyed by the incursions of Picts
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
and Scots
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
. There is no evidence to suggest any large-scale predations in Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
at this time, but whether or not that was the case, it is certainly likely that the bishopric simply withered and died along with the other Northumbrian bishoprics.
Historical evidence
The various chronicles that mention Beadwulf contain occasional minor differences in the dating of events. These variations are noted below. No one date is more authoritative than another.791 – His consecration as Bishop of Candida Casa
The Saxon Chronicle says that Beadwulf was consecrated bishop of Candida Casa by Archbishop Eanbald I
Eanbald I
Eanbald was an eighth century Archbishop of York.-Life:...
and Bishop Æthelberht of Hexham
Æthelberht of Whithorn
Æthelberht was a 8th century Anglo-Saxon bishop. His consecration as Bishop of Whithorn can be placed using the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle on 15 June in either 776 or 777, and took place at York. In either 789, 790 or 791 he became Bishop of Hexham; he was succeeded at Whithorn by Beadwulf. He died on...
on 17 July 791. Symeon of Durham
Symeon of Durham
Symeon of Durham was an English chronicler and a monk of Durham Priory. When William of Saint-Calais returned from his Norman exile in 1091, Symeon was probably in his company...
, writing c. 1108, says that the consecration occurred in a place called "Hearrahaleh". Henry of Huntingdon
Henry of Huntingdon
Henry of Huntingdon , the son of a canon in the diocese of Lincoln, was a 12th century English historian, the author of a history of England, Historia anglorum, "the most important Anglo-Norman historian to emerge from the secular clergy". He served as archdeacon of Huntingdon...
, writing c. 1155, says that the consecration was by Eanbald I.
795 – At the consecration of King Eardwulf
The Saxon Chronicle says that Eardwulf
Eardwulf of Northumbria
Eardwulf was king of Northumbria from 796 to 806, when he was deposed and went into exile. He may have had a second reign from 808 until perhaps 811 or 830. Northumbria in the last years of the eighth century was the scene of dynastic strife between several noble families, and, in 790, the...
succeeded to the Northumbrian kingdom on 14 May 795, and was consecrated on 26 May 795 at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
by Archbishop Eanbald I and bishops Æthelberht of Hexham, Higbald of Lindisfarne
Higbald of Lindisfarne
Higbald of Lindisfarne was Bishop of Lindisfarne from 780 until his death on 24 June 803. Powicke gives his death date as 25 May 802...
, and Beadwulf.
796 – At the consecration of Archbishop Eanbald II
Eanbald II
Eanbald was an eighth century Archbishop of York and correspondent of Alcuin-Life:...
, who was consecrated on 14 August 796. There is no mention of who attended, or the place. Symeon of Durham says that the consecration occurred at Sockburn
Sockburn
Sockburn is a village and civil parish in County Durham, in England. It is situated at the bottom of a loop of the River Tees, south of Darlington, known locally as the Sockburn Peninsula. Today, there is not much there apart from an early nineteenth-century mansion, a ruined church and a farmhouse...
, with bishops Æthelberht, Higbald, and Beadwulf attending. The Melrose Chronicle agrees that the three bishops attended the consecration, but makes no mention of its location.
803 – At the consecration of Bishop Egbert of Lindisfarne
The Saxon Chronicle for 803 says that Bishop Higbald of Lindisfarne died on 24 June 803, and was succeeded by Egbert
Egbert of Lindisfarne
Egbert of Lindisfarne was Bishop of Lindisfarne from his consecration on 11 June 802 until his death in 821. He is often confused with Saint Egbert who served as a monk at Lindisfarne, though the latter never became a bishop there....
on 13 June 804. There is no mention of who attended, or the place. Symeon of Durham says that Higbald died on 25 May 803, and that Egbert's consecration was on 11 June 803 at Bywell
Bywell
Bywell is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne opposite Stocksfield, between Hexham and Newcastle.-Governance:Bywell is in the parliamentary constituency of Hexham.- Landmarks :...
, with Archbishop Eanbald II and bishops Eanbert of Hexham and Beadwulf in attendance. John of Worcester
John of Worcester
John of Worcester was an English monk and chronicler. He is usually held to be the author of the Chronicon ex chronicis.-Chronicon ex chronicis:...
, writing in 1140, says that Higbald died in 802 and that his successor Egbert was consecrated by Archbishop Eanbald II on 2 June 802.