ANGLO-SAXON
CHURCH COUNCILS

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Revised version of Simon Keynes, 'Anglo-Saxon Church Councils', Handbook of British Chronology, 3rd ed., ed. E. B. Fryde, D. E. Greenway, S. Porter, and I. Roy, Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks 2 (London, 1986), pp. 583-9; with additional references to Simon Keynes, The Councils of Clofesho, Brixworth Lecture 1993, Univ. of Leicester Dept. of Adult Education Vaughan Paper 38 (Leicester, 1994), cited as CClof., and Catherine Cubitt, Anglo-Saxon Church Councils c.650-c.850 (London, 1995), pp. 247-95 ('Catalogue of evidence for synods c.650-c.850)') and pp. 297-321 ('The sites of synods'), cited as ASCC.

 

PROVISIONAL LIST OF CHURCH COUNCILS, c. 600 - c. 850

An asterisk against an entry signifies that the evidence for the meeting is of uncertain or dubious authority.

 

SOUTHUMBRIAN COUNCILS

ARCHBISHOP AUGUSTINE TO ARCHBISHOP NOTHHELM

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

602 or 603

Meeting between Augustine, archbishop of Canterbury, and the British bishops, at 'Augustine's Oak'; second meeting held sometime thereafter

HE ii.2

ASCC, pp. 247-8

c. 605

Council of London

Letter of Boniface to Pope Zacharias (Tangl no. 50); see also letter of Pope Zacharias to Boniface (Tangl no. 80)

672, 24 Sept.

Council of Hertford; ch. 7 records decision to hold yearly councils on 1 August, at Clofesho

Acts of the council, in HE iv.5

ASCC, pp. 249-50

678

Council of - ? -

VSWilfrid, ch. 30; see also ch. 24

ASCC, pp. 250-1

679, 17 Sept.

Council of Hatfield

Extracts from acts of the council, in HE iv.17-18; see also BCS 53 + 48

ASCC, pp. 252-8

684, beg. of winter

Council of Adtuifyrdi, near river Aln

VSCuthbert, bk IV, ch. 1; HE iv.28; see also S 66

ASCC, pp. 258-9

*685, July

Council of Burford

S 1169 (charter of King Berhtwald)

693x699

Council of - ? -

S 53 (charter of King Oshere)

ASCC, p. 259

675x705

Council of - ? -

Letter of Aldhelm to Geraint (Ehwald, pp. 480-6)

ASCC, p. 261

704x705

Council of - ? -

Letter of Wealdhere, bishop of London, to Brihtwold, archbishop of Canterbury (BCS 115)

ASCC, p. 260

*705

Council on the river Nadder, Wilts.

BCS 114 (charter of Aldhelm, bishop of Sherborne)

ASCC, p. 260

705

Council of - ? -

S 248 (charter of King Ine)

ASCC, pp. 261-2

c. 705

Council of - ? -

HE v.18

ASCC, p. 263

*709

Council of Alne

VSEcgwine, III.4

ASCC, p. 263

c. 675x709

Council of - ? -

Aldhelm, De uirginitate, ch. 1 (Ehwald, p. 229)

ASCC, p. 262

*696x716

Council of Bapchild

S 22 (charter of King Wihtred)

Kentish council

710x716

Council of - ? -

VSBoniface, ch. 4

West Saxon council

*716, July

Council of Clofesho

S 22 (confirmation of a charter of King Wihtred)

CClof., pp. 10-11; ASCC, pp. 263-4

736x737

Council of - ? -

S 1429 (decree of a council held by Nothhelm, archbishop of Canterbury)

CClof., p. 00; ASCC, p. 265

ARCHBISHOP CUTHBERHT (740-60)

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

*742

Council of Clofesho

S 90 (charter of King Æthelbald)

CClof., pp. 10-11; ASCC, p. 265

747, Sept.

Council of Clofesho

Acts of the council, ptd H&S, pp. 360-76, from Spelman (and ultimately from London, BL Cotton Otho A.i)

CClof., pp. 5-6; ASCC, pp. 266-7

749

Council of Gumley

S 92 (charter of King Æthelbald)

Mercian royal council

c. 754

Council of - ? -

Letter of Cuthbert, archbishop of Canterbury, to Lul (Tangl no. 111)

ASCC, pp. 267-8

758

Council of - ? -

see S 265 (charter of King Cynewulf)

ASCC, p. 268

ARCHBISHOP BREGOWINE (761-4)

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

761x764

councils

see S 1258; see also S 143

ASCC, p. 268

ARCHBISHOP JÆNBERHT (765-92)

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

765, 2 Feb.

Council of - ? -

S 107 (charter of King Offa, issued on the occasion of Jænberht's ordination)

781

Council of Brentford

S 1257 (record of settlement of a dispute between King Offa and Heathored, bishop of Worcester)

ASCC, p. 269

782

Council of Aclea

ASC (northern recension) s.a. 782

? Northumbrian; ASCC, p. 291

785

Council of Chelsea

S 123 (charter of King Offa)

ASCC, p. 269

*786

Council of Chelsea

S 125 (charter of King Offa)

ASCC, pp. 269-70

786

Council of - ? -

council held in southern England, mentioned in report of legates to Pope Hadrian, ptd Dümmler, pp. 19-29; see also letter of Pope Leo III to King Cenwulf (Dümmler, pp. 187-9)

ASCC, pp. 270-1

*787

Council of Aclea

S 127 (charter of King Offa)

ASCC, pp. 271-2

787

Council of Chelsea

ASC s.a. 787

ASCC, p. 271

788

Council of Aclea

ASC (northern recension) s.a. 789; Richard of Hexham supplies date 29 Sept.

? Northumbrian; ASCC, p. 291

788

Council of Chelsea

S 128 (charter of King Offa)

ASCC, p. 272

789

Council of Chelsea

S 1430 (record of settlement of a dispute involving Heathored, bishop of Worcester); S 130 and 131 (charters of King Offa) may refer to this council

ASCC, pp. 272-3

765x792

councils

see S 1258 for references to councils of Jænberht, archbishop of Canterbury

ASCC, p. 268

ARCHBISHOP ÆTHELHEARD (792-805)

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

792

Council of Clofesho

S 134 (charter of King Offa)

CClof., pp. 7-8; ASCC, p. 273

*793

Council of Chelsea

S 136 (charter of King Offa)

ASCC, pp. 273-4

794

Council of Clofesho

S 137 (charter of King Offa); S 139 (charter of King Offa) may refer to this council

CClof., p. 8; ASCC, p. 274

*? 795

Council of London

S 132 (charter of King Offa)

ASCC, p. 275

*796

Council of Chelsea

S 150, 151 (charters of King Ecgfrith)

ASCC, pp. 275-6

*798

Council of Bapchild

BCS 290; ASC MS. F, s.a. 798

ASCC, p. 278

798

Council of Clofesho

S 1258 (record of settlement of a dispute between Æthelheard, archbishop of Canterbury, and Cynethryth, abbess); S 153 (charter of King Cenwulf) and S 1187 (private charter) may refer to this council.

CClof., pp. 8-9; ASCC, p. 277; cf. p. 281

799

Council of Tamworth

S 155 (charter of King Cenwulf)

ASCC, p. 278

c. 800

Council of Chelsea

S 106 (charter of King Offa, endorsement)

ASCC, pp. 278-9

801

Council of Chelsea

S 158 (charter of King Cenwulf); S 1435 may contain a garbled reference to this council

ASCC, p. 279

*? 802 <?799>

Coucnil of Coleshill

S 154 (charter of King Cenwulf)

803, 6-12 Oct.

Council of Clofesho

S 1260 (charter of Deneberht, bishop of Worcester); BCS 310 (document abolishing archbishopric of Lichfield); S 1431 (record of agreement between Deneberht, bishop of Worcester, and Wulfheard, bishop of Hereford); BCS 312 (document in name of Æthelheard, archbishop of Canterbury).

CClof., p. 9; ASCC, pp. 279-80

804

Council of Aclea

S 1187 (private charter)

cf. ASCC, p. 281

805

? Council of - ? -

see S 1259 (charter of Æthelheard, archbishop of Canterbury) <?>

ARCHBISHOP WULFRED (805-32)

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

805, July

Council of Aclea

S 40 (charter of King Cuthred) and S 161 (charter of King Cenwulf); S 41 (charter of King Cuthred) may refer to this or to a later council

ASCC, pp. 282-3

810

Council of Aclea

See S 1439 (record of a Kentish dispute); see also S 1188 (private charter)

ASCC, pp. 283-4

*? 811

Council of Chelsea

S 166 (charter of King Cenwulf)

ASCC, p. 284

811, Aug.

Council of London

S 168 (charter of King Cenwulf); S 165 (charter of King Cenwulf) may refer to this council)

not a general council

*811, Nov.

Council of - ? - (? Winchcombe)

S 167 (charter of King Cenwulf)

ASCC, p. 284

814

Council of - ? -

S 173 (charter of King Cenwulf)

ASCC, pp. 284-5

816, July

Council of Chelsea

Acts of the council, ptd H&S, pp. 579 84 (from London, BL Cotton Vespasian A. xiv); S 180 (charter of King Cenwulf) may refer to this council <x>

ASCC, p. 285

*? 824

Council of Aclea (or ? Oakley)

S 283 (charter of King Egbert)

824, Oct.

Council of Clofesho

ASC s.a. 824; S 1433 (record of settlement of a dispute between Heahberht, bishop of Worcester, and the community at Berkeley, Gloucs.); S 1434 (record of a recovery of land by Wulfred, archbishop of Canterbury, from Cwenthryth, abbess of Minster in Thanet).

CClof., pp. 11-12; ASCC, pp. 285-6

825

Council of Clofesho

See S 1435 (record of settlement of a dispute concerning land at Denton, Sussex); S 1436 (record of a dispute between Wulfred, archbishop of Canterbury, and Cenwulf, king of Mercia, and of its settlement); S 1437 (record of settlement of a dispute concerning swine pasture at Sinton in Leigh, Worcs.).

CClof., pp. 12-13; ASCC, pp. 286-7

ARCHBISHOP CEOLNOTH (833-70)

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

836

Council of Croft

S 190 (charter of King Wiglaf)

ASCC, p. 287

838

Council of Kingston (local)

S 1438 (record of agreement between Ceolnoth, archbishop of Canterbury, and Kings Egbert and Æthelwulf); see also S 281 (charter of King Egbert)

West Saxon council

839

Council aet Astran

S 1438, MSS. 1 and 3 (confirmation of the agreement reached at Kingston in 838); see also S 281

ASCC, pp. 287-8

845, Nov.

Council of London

S 1194 (private charter)

ASCC, p. 288

 

NORTHUMBRIAN COUNCILS

DATE

LOCATION

REFERENCE

NOTES

664, bef. July

Council of Whitby

VSWilfrid, ch. 10; HE iii.25

ASCC, p. 289

680

Council of - ? -

VSWilfrid, ch. 34

ASCC, pp. 289-90

c. 680

Council of - ? -

HA, ch. 15; see also ch. 6, and HE iv.18

ASCC, p. 289

c. 701

Council of - ? -

HA, ch. 15

ASCC, p. 290

c. 703

Council of Austerfield (West Yorks.)

VSWilfrid, chs 46-7; see also chs 53 and 60

ASCC, p. 259

706

Council on the river Nidd

VSWilfrid, ch. 60

ASCC, pp. 290-1

765, Nov.

? Council of Pincanheale

HR, s.a. 765

765x774

Council of - ? -

Anskar's Life of St Willehad, ch. 1, in H&S, p. 433

ASCC, p. 291

786

Council of - ? -

Acts of the council incorporated in report of legates to Pope Hadrian, ptd Dümmler, pp. 19-29

ASCC, p. 291

787, Sept.

Council of Pincanheale

HR, s.a. 787; ASC (northern recension), s.a. 788

ASCC, p. 291

798

Council of Pincanheale

HR, s.a. 798

ASCC, p. 292

 

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