Denewulf
Encyclopedia
Denewulf was a medieval Bishop of Winchester
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Denewulf was consecrated in 879. He died in 909. The twelfth-century chronicler John of Worcester
recorded a tradition that Denewulf began life as a swineherd, and was promoted to bishop at an advanced age after a chance encounter with Alfred the Great
, who was taking refuge from the Danes in the forest where Denewulf was feeding his pigs. This has led to Denewulf being identified in modern popular history with the cottager in the story of Alfred and the cakes (a legend first recorded in the twelfth century) whose wife berated the king for carelessness when he allowed her cakes to burn.
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
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Denewulf was consecrated in 879. He died in 909. The twelfth-century chronicler 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:...
recorded a tradition that Denewulf began life as a swineherd, and was promoted to bishop at an advanced age after a chance encounter with Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, who was taking refuge from the Danes in the forest where Denewulf was feeding his pigs. This has led to Denewulf being identified in modern popular history with the cottager in the story of Alfred and the cakes (a legend first recorded in the twelfth century) whose wife berated the king for carelessness when he allowed her cakes to burn.