See

EPISCOPAL SUCCESSION
IN ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND

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Episcopal succession

SHERBORNE

HE v. 18; Goscelin, Vita S. Wlsini (ed. Talbot); WM, GP ii.79-82 (ed. Hamilton, pp. 175-81). Episcopal list (Aldhelm to Æthelric) added in the 'Pontifical of St Dunstan' ('Sherborne Pontifical'). D. P. Kirby, 'Notes on the Saxon Bishops of Sherborne', Proc. of the Dorset Nat. Hist. and Archaeol. Soc. 87 (1965), 213-22; Barlow, English Church 1000-1066, pp. 222-5; Charters of Sherborne, ed. M. A. O'Donovan, Anglo-Saxon Charters 3 (Oxford, 1988).

Bishops

Accession

Death or translation

ALDHELM, abbot of Malmesbury

c. 705

709

FORTHHERE

709

(? res.) 737, and went to Rome

HEREWALD

736

766 x 774

ÆTHELMOD

766 x 774

789 x 794

DENEFRITH

793

796 x 801

WIGBEORHT

793 x 801

816 x 825

EALHSTAN

816 x 825, ? 824

867, buried at Sherborne

HEAHMUND, ? royal priest

867 x 868

871, buried at Keynsham, So

ÆTHELHEAH

871 x 877

879 x 889

WULFSIGE I

879 x 889

(890 x 896) x 900

ASSER, monk of St David's, royal priest

(890 x 896) x 900

909

ÆTHELWEARD

c. 909

c. 909

diocese divided c. 909 (Sherborne, Crediton, and Wells)

WÆRSTAN

c. 909

918, or c. 909 x 925

ÆTHELBALD

c. 909, or c. 918 x 925

c. 909, or 918 x 925

SIGEHELM

c. 909, or 918 x 925

933 x 934

ALFRED

933 x 934

939 x 943

WULFSIGE II

939 x 943

958 x (963 x 964)

ÆLFWOLD I

958 x (963 x 964)

978, buried at Sherborne

ÆTHELSIGE I, monk of the Old Minster, Winchester

978 x 979

991 x 4 Jun. 993

WULFSIGE III (St Wulsin), monk of Glastonbury, abbot of Westminster

993 x 994

8 Jan. 1002

ÆTHELRIC, monk of Glastonbury

1002

1011 x 1012 (8 May)

ÆTHELSIGE II

1011 x 1012

1014 x 1018

BRIHTWINE

1014 x 1018

ejected, 1022 x ?

ÆLFMÆR, monk of Glastonbury, abbot of St Augustine's, Canterbury

1023 x ?

returned to Canterbury, 1023 x ?; d. ? (3-6 Apr.)

BRIHTWINE (restored)

1023 x ?

1045 (? 2 June)

ÆLFWOLD II, monk of the Old Minster, Winchester

1045

1062 x ?

HERMAN, royal priest (from Lotharingia), bishop of Ramsbury (1045-)

1062 x ?

1078 (20 Feb., or 21 Mar.)

see transferred to Salisbury

NOTES. Aldhelm: HE v. 18; 'bishop west of the wood', died 709 (ASC). Forthhere: HE v. 18; bishop in 731 (HE v. 23); went to Rome with Queen Frithugyth in 737 (ASC). Wigbeorht: Ep. Prof. 5; 'bishop of the West Saxons', went to Rome with Archbishop Wulfred in 814 (ASC). Ealhstan: involved in warfare against the Danes 825, 845, 867 (ASC). Asser: wrote Vita Ælfredi regis Angul-Saxonum in 893; 'bishop of Sherborne', died 909 (ASC). Æthelweard: episcopal list in CCCC 183 implies that Æthelweard was the last bishop before the division of the diocese into three. Wærstan: killed at battle of Brunanburh (WM). Sigehelm: positioned by WM between Asser and Æthelweard, and identified as the Sigehelm who went to Rome and to India in 883 (ASC). Ælfwold I: 'bishop of Dorset', died 978 (ASC). Æthelsige I: monk at the Old Minster (LVNM); in Normandy on diplomatic mission 990-1 (EHD I, no. 230). Wulfsige III (St Wulsin): obit in WM, DAntG, p. 138, identifies him as a monk of Glastonbury; crozier and other episcopal insignia still preserved at Sherborne (WM). Æthelric: last bishop in episcopal list in 'Pontifical of St Dunstan'; obit in WM, DAntG, p. 138. Æthelsige II: beneficiary of S 933 in 1014? Brihtwine: presumed to be one person, ejected and restored; '1023' from Stubbs, etc., but probably not the Bishop Brihtwine involved in the translation of relics of St Ælfheah in 1023 (ASC), for whom see Wells; obit in the Salisbury Psalter. Ælfmær: Vita S. Wlsini, ch. 16; obit WM, DeAntG; HRH, p. 35. Ælfwold II, brother of Brihtwine: building works described by Goscelin; placed image of St Swithun at Sherborne (WM); and St Cuthbert (WM); attested Waltham charter in 1062. Herman: appointed bp of Ramsbury 1045, went to Rome 'on the king's business' 1050, 'bishop of Berkshire and Wiltshire and Dorset' died 20 Feb. '1077' (ASC); see also Keynes, 'Giso, Bishop of Wells', pp. 208-9; obit in Vit. A. xviii (ibid. p. 253).

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Bishops	Accession	Death or translation
ALDHELM, abbot of Malmesbury	c. 705	709
FORTHHERE	709	(? res.) 737, and went to Rome
HEREWALD	736	766 x 774
ÆTHELMOD	766 x 774	789 x 794
DENEFRITH	793	796 x 801
WIGBEORHT	793 x 801	816 x 825
EALHSTAN	816 x 825, ? 824	867, buried at Sherborne
HEAHMUND, ? royal priest	867 x 868	871, buried at Keynsham, So
ÆTHELHEAH	871 x 877	879 x 889
WULFSIGE I	879 x 889	(890 x 896) x 900
ASSER, monk of St David's, royal priest	(890 x 896) x 900	909
ÆTHELWEARD	c. 909	c. 909
diocese divided c. 909 (Sherborne, Crediton, and Wells)
WÆRSTAN	c. 909	918, or c. 909 x 925
ÆTHELBALD	c. 909, or c. 918 x 925	c. 909, or 918 x 925
SIGEHELM	c. 909, or 918 x 925	933 x 934
ALFRED	933 x 934	939 x 943
WULFSIGE II	939 x 943	958 x (963 x 964)
ÆLFWOLD I	958 x (963 x 964)	978, buried at Sherborne
ÆTHELSIGE I, monk of the Old Minster, Winchester	978 x 979	991 x 4 Jun. 993
WULFSIGE III (St Wulsin), monk of Glastonbury, abbot of Westminster	993 x 994	8 Jan. 1002
ÆTHELRIC, monk of Glastonbury	1002	1011 x 1012 (8 May)
ÆTHELSIGE II	1011 x 1012	1014 x 1018
BRIHTWINE	1014 x 1018	ejected, 1022 x ?
ÆLFMÆR, monk of Glastonbury, abbot of St Augustine's, Canterbury	1023 x ?	returned to Canterbury, 1023 x ?; d. ? (3-6 Apr.)
BRIHTWINE (restored)	1023 x ?	1045 (? 2 June)
ÆLFWOLD II, monk of the Old Minster, Winchester	1045	1062 x ?
HERMAN, royal priest (from Lotharingia), bishop of Ramsbury (1045-)	1062 x ?	1078 (20 Feb., or 21 Mar.)
see transferred to Salisbury