Birthelm
Encyclopedia
Byrhthelm was the Bishop of Wells
and briefly the archbishop of Canterbury
. A monk
from Glastonbury Abbey
, he served as Bishop of Wells beginning in 956, then was translated to Canterbury in 959, only to be translated back to Wells in the same year.
In around 957 Byrhthelm was instrumental in restoring lands around the Selsey
area that had been seized by a man named Ælfsige who it is thought to have been Ælfsige, then Bishop of Winchester
.
In October 959, King Eadwig died and his brother Edgar
was readily accepted as ruler of the Kingdom of England
. One of the last acts of Eadwig had been to appoint a successor to Archbishop Oda
, who died on 2 June 958. First he appointed Ælfsige of Winchester, but he perished of cold in the Alps
as he journeyed to Rome
for the pallium
. In his place Eadwig nominated Byrhthelm. As soon as Edgar became king he reversed this act on the ground that Byrhthelm had not been able to even govern the Diocese of Wells
properly. Edgar said that Byrhthelm was too gentle to maintain discipline, and was replaced with Dunstan
. He returned to Wells, where he served until he died on 15 May 973.
Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
and briefly the archbishop of Canterbury
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...
. A 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...
from Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey was a monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. The ruins are now a grade I listed building, and a Scheduled Ancient Monument and are open as a visitor attraction....
, he served as Bishop of Wells beginning in 956, then was translated to Canterbury in 959, only to be translated back to Wells in the same year.
In around 957 Byrhthelm was instrumental in restoring lands around the Selsey
Selsey
Selsey is a seaside town and civil parish, about seven miles south of Chichester, in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. Selsey lies at the southernmost point of the Manhood Peninsula, almost cut off from mainland Sussex by the sea...
area that had been seized by a man named Ælfsige who it is thought to have been Ælfsige, then Bishop of Winchester
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...
.
In October 959, King Eadwig died and his brother Edgar
Edgar of England
Edgar the Peaceful, or Edgar I , also called the Peaceable, was a king of England . Edgar was the younger son of Edmund I of England.-Accession:...
was readily accepted as ruler of the Kingdom of 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...
. One of the last acts of Eadwig had been to appoint a successor to Archbishop Oda
Oda the Severe
Oda , called the Good or the Severe, was a 10th-century Archbishop of Canterbury in England.-Early career:...
, who died on 2 June 958. First he appointed Ælfsige of Winchester, but he perished of cold in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
as he journeyed to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for the 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...
. In his place Eadwig nominated Byrhthelm. As soon as Edgar became king he reversed this act on the ground that Byrhthelm had not been able to even govern the Diocese of Wells
Diocese of Bath and Wells
The Diocese of Bath and Wells is a diocese in the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England.The diocese covers the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in the tiny city of...
properly. Edgar said that Byrhthelm was too gentle to maintain discipline, and was replaced with Dunstan
Dunstan
Dunstan was an Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey, a Bishop of Worcester, a Bishop of London, and an Archbishop of Canterbury, later canonised as a saint. His work restored monastic life in England and reformed the English Church...
. He returned to Wells, where he served until he died on 15 May 973.