Ælfric
Encyclopedia
Ælfric of Abingdon also known as Ælfric of Wessex, was a late 10th century Archbishop of Canterbury
, as well as previously holding the offices of abbot
of St Albans and Bishop of Ramsbury
, all of which are in England. He is often confused with famed Anglo-Saxon
author Ælfric of Eynsham
.
in Berkshire
(now Oxfordshire
) as well as probably Abbot of Abingdon
before becoming Abbot of St Albans Abbey
around 975. His brother, Leofric, became Abbot of St Albans in succession to him when he became bishop. Between 991 and 993, he was raised to the Bishopric of Ramsbury
, and in 995 to the see of Canterbury. He was translated to Canterbury on 21 April 995 at a witenagemot
held at Amesbury
, where he received the permission of "King Æthelred and all the witan". Ælfric continued to hold Ramsbury along with Canterbury until his death. The story that his brother first was chosen for Canterbury but refused, stems from confusion on the part of Matthew of Paris and is generally held by historians to be untrue.
Ælfric's appointment to Canterbury caused consternation with the clergy of the cathedral chapter, who sent two members to Rome ahead of Ælfric, attempting to secure the office for one of them. The pope, however, would not appoint either without royal permission, and when Ælfric arrived in Rome, he received his pallium
from Pope Gregory V
in 997. He also witnessed some miracles at the gravesite of Edward the Martyr
at Shaftesbury Abbey
, helping to lead to Edward's sainthood.
A story was told that Ælfric introduced monks into the cathedral church of Christ Church, Canterbury, replacing the secular clerks
that had taken over the foundation during the ninth century. Ælfric is said to have done this on the command of the pope. This story originally dates to soon after the Norman Conquest and the monastic historians of Canterbury, and its veracity is unclear. He probably performed the marriage ceremony of King Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy
in 1002. A later tradition held that he consecrated a Bishop of Llandaff
and two Bishops of St. David's
in Wales.
It was either Ælfric or his predecessor Sigeric who wrote a letter to Wulfsige, Bishop of Sherborne
about the duties of bishops to make sure that the laity did not despoil churches and that they should be exhorted to better lives. Ælfric also ordered the composition of the first Life of Dunstan. He also acted as a royal judge, once being ordered by King Æthelred to adjudicate a case between thegn
s.
Ælfric died on 16 November 1005 and was buried in Abingdon Abbey, later being translated to Canterbury Cathedral
. His will survives and in it he left ships to the people of Wiltshire
and Kent
, with his best one, equipped for sixty men, going to King Æthelred. A life of St. Dunstan was dedicated to him.
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, as well as previously holding the offices of 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...
of St Albans and Bishop of Ramsbury
Bishop of Ramsbury
This page refers to holders of the Saxon bishopric. See Bishop of Ramsbury for the modern suffragan bishop.In Saxon times the village of Ramsbury in Wiltshire was an extremely important location for the Church, and several of the early bishops went on to become Archbishops of Canterbury.The...
, all of which are in England. He is often confused with famed Anglo-Saxon
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...
author Ælfric of Eynsham
Ælfric of Eynsham
Ælfric of Eynsham was an English abbot, as well as a consummate, prolific writer in Old English of hagiography, homilies, biblical commentaries, and other genres. He is also known variously as Ælfric the Grammarian , Ælfric of Cerne, and Ælfric the Homilist...
.
Life
Ælfric was the son of an earl of Kent, before he became a monk of Abingdon AbbeyAbingdon Abbey
Abingdon Abbey was a Benedictine monastery also known as St Mary's Abbey located in Abingdon, historically in the county of Berkshire but now in Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
(now Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
) as well as probably Abbot of Abingdon
Abbot of Abingdon
The following is a list of abbots of Abingdon. The Abbey of Abingdon was in northern Berkshire. The site is now in Oxfordshire.-Fictional abbots:Historian Susan E...
before becoming Abbot of St Albans Abbey
St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
around 975. His brother, Leofric, became Abbot of St Albans in succession to him when he became bishop. Between 991 and 993, he was raised to the Bishopric of Ramsbury
Bishop of Ramsbury
This page refers to holders of the Saxon bishopric. See Bishop of Ramsbury for the modern suffragan bishop.In Saxon times the village of Ramsbury in Wiltshire was an extremely important location for the Church, and several of the early bishops went on to become Archbishops of Canterbury.The...
, and in 995 to the see of Canterbury. He was translated to Canterbury on 21 April 995 at a witenagemot
Witenagemot
The Witenagemot , also known as the Witan was a political institution in Anglo-Saxon England which operated from before the 7th century until the 11th century.The Witenagemot was an assembly of the ruling class whose primary function was to advise the king and whose membership was...
held at Amesbury
Amesbury
Amesbury is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is most famous for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is in its parish, and for the discovery of the Amesbury Archer—dubbed the King of Stonehenge in the press—in 2002...
, where he received the permission of "King Æthelred and all the witan". Ælfric continued to hold Ramsbury along with Canterbury until his death. The story that his brother first was chosen for Canterbury but refused, stems from confusion on the part of Matthew of Paris and is generally held by historians to be untrue.
Ælfric's appointment to Canterbury caused consternation with the clergy of the cathedral chapter, who sent two members to Rome ahead of Ælfric, attempting to secure the office for one of them. The pope, however, would not appoint either without royal permission, and when Ælfric arrived in Rome, he received his pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
from Pope Gregory V
Pope Gregory V
Pope Gregory V, né Bruno of Carinthia , Pope from May 3, 996 to February 18, 999, son of the Salian Otto I, Duke of Carinthia, who was a grandson of the Emperor Otto I the Great . Gregory V succeeded Pope John XV , when only twenty-four years of age...
in 997. He also witnessed some miracles at the gravesite of Edward the Martyr
Edward the Martyr
Edward the Martyr was king of the English from 975 until he was murdered in 978. Edward was the eldest son of King Edgar, but not his father's acknowledged heir...
at Shaftesbury Abbey
Shaftesbury Abbey
Shaftesbury Abbey was an abbey that housed nuns in Shaftesbury, Dorset. Founded in the year 888, the abbey was the wealthiest Benedictine nunnery in England, a major pilgrimage site, and the town's central focus...
, helping to lead to Edward's sainthood.
A story was told that Ælfric introduced monks into the cathedral church of Christ Church, Canterbury, replacing the secular clerks
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
that had taken over the foundation during the ninth century. Ælfric is said to have done this on the command of the pope. This story originally dates to soon after the Norman Conquest and the monastic historians of Canterbury, and its veracity is unclear. He probably performed the marriage ceremony of King Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy
Emma of Normandy
Emma , was a daughter of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, by his second wife Gunnora. She was Queen consort of England twice, by successive marriages: first as second wife to Æthelred the Unready of England ; and then second wife to Cnut the Great of Denmark...
in 1002. A later tradition held that he consecrated a Bishop of Llandaff
Bishop of Llandaff
The Bishop of Llandaff is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff.-Area of authority:The diocese covers most of the County of Glamorgan. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul , in the village of Llandaff, just north-west of the City of...
and two Bishops of St. David's
Bishop of St David's
The Bishop of St David's is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St David's.The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St David's in Pembrokeshire, founding St David's Cathedral. The current Bishop of St...
in Wales.
It was either Ælfric or his predecessor Sigeric who wrote a letter to Wulfsige, Bishop of Sherborne
Wulfine
Wulfine was a medieval Bishop of Sherborne.He was consecrated in 943. He died in 958.-References:* Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde Handbook of British Chronology 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961...
about the duties of bishops to make sure that the laity did not despoil churches and that they should be exhorted to better lives. Ælfric also ordered the composition of the first Life of Dunstan. He also acted as a royal judge, once being ordered by King Æthelred to adjudicate a case between thegn
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
s.
Ælfric died on 16 November 1005 and was buried in Abingdon Abbey, later being translated to Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
. His will survives and in it he left ships to the people of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, with his best one, equipped for sixty men, going to King Æthelred. A life of St. Dunstan was dedicated to him.