Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne
25 May -- Commemoration
If celebrated as a Lesser Festival,
Common of Bishops, page 483
Born in the year 639, Aldhelm became a monk at Malmesbury,
and later was elected its abbot. When the growing Wessex
diocese was divided in 705, he became the first Bishop of
Sherborne, founding the abbey church. Aldhelm was a great
scholar, teacher and singer who, 'by his preaching completed
the conquest of Wessex', according to Bede. Tradition has
it that he would attract listeners by his singing and then
preach the gospel to them. It seems he may have also been
responsible for introducing the
Rule of St Benedict to the
area. He built churches all over Dorset, and the headland
-- commonly called St Alban's Head -- is in reality
Saint Aldhelm's Head, where there is an ancient
chapel. His old English verse, sung to harp accompaniment,
was praised by King Alfred. Aldhelm died on this day in the
year 709 at Doulting in Somerset, on his way to Malmesbury.