Lastingham
Encyclopedia
Lastingham is a village
and civil parish
which lies in the Ryedale
district of North Yorkshire
, England
. It is on the southern fringe of the North York Moors
, five miles north east of Kirkbymoorside
, one and a half miles to the east of Hutton-le-Hole
. It was home to the early missionaries to the Angle
s, St. Cedd and his brother, St. Chad.
There is reason to believe that the original name for Lastingham was Læstingau. Læstingau first appears in history when King Ethelwald of Deira (651-c.655) founded a monastery
for his own burial. Bede attributes the initiative to Ethelwald's chaplain Caelin
, a brother of Cedd
, Chad
and Cynibil
. Bede records that Cedd and Cynibil consecrated the site, and that Cynibil built it of wood. Cedd
ruled the monastery as the first abbot
until his death, combining this position with that of missionary bishop to the East Saxons
. In 664, shortly after the Synod of Whitby
, in which he was a key participant, St. Cedd died of the plague at Læstingau. Bede records that a party of monk
s from Essex
came to mourn him and all but one were all wiped out by the plague. Cedd was first buried outside the wooden monastery but, at some time between 664 and 732, a stone church was erected, and his body was translated to the right side of the altar. The crypt of the present parish church remains a focus for veneration of Cedd. His brother St. Chad
took his place as abbot.
Not much is known of this house, though all who spoke of it spoke well. Perhaps the best indication of its standards is that, in 687, one of its graduates, Trumbert, transferred to Wearmouth-Jarrow and became scriptural tutor to a youthful Bede.
We have no knowledge of what became of the Anglo-Saxon house. Destruction by the Danes is nowhere attested, and seems to be entirely the product of modern conjecture. A start was made on rebuilding the monastery in 1078, when St. Stephen, prior of Whitby, and a band of monks moved from Whitby
due to a disagreement with William de Percy, who was abbot of Whitby at the time.
They received support from King William 1 and Berenger de Todeni in the means of one carucate
of land in Lastingham, six carucate
s at Spaunton
, and other lands in Kirkby
etc. They only remained for eight years however, due to persistent harassment by bandits. In 1086 they moved to York
, and founded St. Mary's Abbey, to which they annexed the lands of the monastery at Lastingham.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
which lies in the Ryedale
Ryedale
Ryedale is a non-metropolitan district of the shire county of North Yorkshire in England. Settlements include Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Norton-on-Derwent, Pickering, and Terrington.-Derivation of name:...
district of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is on the southern fringe of the North York Moors
North York Moors
The North York Moors is a national park in North Yorkshire, England. The moors are one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom. It covers an area of , and it has a population of about 25,000...
, five miles north east of Kirkbymoorside
Kirkbymoorside
Kirkbymoorside is a small market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England which lies approximately 25 miles north of York midway between Pickering and Helmsley, and has a population of approximately 3,000.-History:...
, one and a half miles to the east of Hutton-le-Hole
Hutton-le-Hole
Hutton-le-Hole is a very small village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, about seven miles north west of Pickering. Hutton-le-Hole is a honeypot village...
. It was home to the early missionaries to the Angle
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
s, St. Cedd and his brother, St. Chad.
St Mary's church
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
for his own burial. Bede attributes the initiative to Ethelwald's chaplain Caelin
Caelin
Cælin was one of four brothers named by Bede as active in the early Anglo-Saxon Church. The others were Cedd, Chad, and Cynibil.Bede portrays Cælin as a chaplain at the court of Ethelwald, a nephew of King Oswiu of Northumbria. Ethelwald was appointed to administer the coastal area of Deira...
, a brother of Cedd
Cedd
Cedd was an Anglo-Saxon monk and bishop from Northumbria. He was an evangelist of the Middle Angles and East Saxons in England and a significant participant in the Synod of Whitby, a meeting which resolved important differences within the Church in England...
, Chad
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
and Cynibil
Cynibil
Cynibil was one of four Northumbrian brothers named by Bede as prominent in the early Anglo-Saxon Church. The others were Chad of Mercia, Cedd and Caelin....
. Bede records that Cedd and Cynibil consecrated the site, and that Cynibil built it of wood. Cedd
Cedd
Cedd was an Anglo-Saxon monk and bishop from Northumbria. He was an evangelist of the Middle Angles and East Saxons in England and a significant participant in the Synod of Whitby, a meeting which resolved important differences within the Church in England...
ruled the monastery as the first abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
until his death, combining this position with that of missionary bishop to the East Saxons
Kingdom of Essex
The Kingdom of Essex or Kingdom of the East Saxons was one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was founded in the 6th century and covered the territory later occupied by the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Kent. Kings of Essex were...
. In 664, shortly after the Synod of Whitby
Synod of Whitby
The Synod of Whitby was a seventh century Northumbriansynod where King Oswiu of Northumbria ruled that his kingdom would calculate Easter and observe the monastic tonsure according to the customs of Rome, rather than the customs practised by Iona and its satellite institutions...
, in which he was a key participant, St. Cedd died of the plague at Læstingau. Bede records that a party of monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s from Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
came to mourn him and all but one were all wiped out by the plague. Cedd was first buried outside the wooden monastery but, at some time between 664 and 732, a stone church was erected, and his body was translated to the right side of the altar. The crypt of the present parish church remains a focus for veneration of Cedd. His brother St. Chad
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
took his place as abbot.
Not much is known of this house, though all who spoke of it spoke well. Perhaps the best indication of its standards is that, in 687, one of its graduates, Trumbert, transferred to Wearmouth-Jarrow and became scriptural tutor to a youthful Bede.
We have no knowledge of what became of the Anglo-Saxon house. Destruction by the Danes is nowhere attested, and seems to be entirely the product of modern conjecture. A start was made on rebuilding the monastery in 1078, when St. Stephen, prior of Whitby, and a band of monks moved from Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
due to a disagreement with William de Percy, who was abbot of Whitby at the time.
They received support from King William 1 and Berenger de Todeni in the means of one carucate
Carucate
The carucate or ploughland was a unit of assessment for tax used in most Danelaw counties of England, and is found for example in Domesday Book. The carucate was based on the area a plough team of eight oxen could till in a single annual season...
of land in Lastingham, six carucate
Carucate
The carucate or ploughland was a unit of assessment for tax used in most Danelaw counties of England, and is found for example in Domesday Book. The carucate was based on the area a plough team of eight oxen could till in a single annual season...
s at Spaunton
Spaunton
Spaunton is a hamlet and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated near Lastingham and about north west of Pickering....
, and other lands in Kirkby
Kirkby, North Yorkshire
Kirkby is a village and civil parish in Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, near Great Busby and 1 mile south of Stokesley....
etc. They only remained for eight years however, due to persistent harassment by bandits. In 1086 they moved to 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 founded St. Mary's Abbey, to which they annexed the lands of the monastery at Lastingham.
Notable people
- CeddCeddCedd was an Anglo-Saxon monk and bishop from Northumbria. He was an evangelist of the Middle Angles and East Saxons in England and a significant participant in the Synod of Whitby, a meeting which resolved important differences within the Church in England...
(620–664), Saint - ChadChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
(634–672), Saint - TrumbertTrumbertTrumbert was a monk of Jarrow, a disciple of St. Chad and later Bishop of Hexham.-Life:He was educated at Lastingham by Ceadda, and was a teacher of Bede. He was the Bishop of the See of Hexham from 681 until he was deposed in 685 and was succeeded by Eata. He had previously been a monk at Ripon...
, Scriptural tutor to Bede - John Edward HineJohn Edward HineJohn Edward Hine was an Anglican bishop in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Life:He was born in 1857 and educated at University College School and University College, London. A medical doctor, after ordination he was sent as a missionary to Likoma and was soon promoted to be Bishop of the area...
, Anglican bishop - John JacksonJohn Jackson (painter)John Jackson was an English painter.Jackson was born in Lastingham, Yorkshire, and started his career as an apprentice tailor to his father, who opposed the artistic ambitions of his son...
(1778–1831), British painter - Sydney RingerSydney RingerSydney Ringer FRS was a British clinician and pharmacologist, best known for inventing Ringer's solution. He was born in March 1836 in Norwich, England and died following a stroke 14 October 1910, in Lastingham, Yorkshire, England...
, physician and originator of Ringer's SolutionRinger's solutionRinger's solution is the name given to a solution of several salts dissolved in water for the purpose of creating an isotonic solution relative to the bodily fluids of an animal. Ringer's solution typically contains sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate,...