Bishop of Selsey
The Bishop of Selsey was an episcopal title which took its name after the small town of Selsey in Sussex, England.
The episcopal see at Selsey was founded by Saint Wilfrid, formerly Bishop of the Northumbrians, for the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Sussex in the late 7th century. He was granted land by King Æthelwealh of Sussex to build a cathedral at Selsey. However, shortly afterwards King Cædwalla of Wessex conquered the Kingdom of Sussex, but he confirmed the grant to Wilfrid. The bishop's seat was located at Selsey Abbey. Nine years after the Norman conquest, in 1075, the Council of London enacted that episcopal sees should be removed to cities or larger towns. Accordingly, the see at Selsey was removed to Chichester. Some sources claim that Stigand, the last bishop of Selsey, continued to use the title Bishop of Selsey until 1082, before adopting the new title Bishop of Chichester, indicating that the transfer took several years to complete.[1]
List of bishops of Selsey
(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) The dates of the early bishops are uncertain.
Bishops of Selsey | |||
---|---|---|---|
From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
? 681 | ? 685 | Saint Wilfrid | Founder of the see; status as bishop of this see disputed; previously ejected from York; later Bishop of Leicester then of Hexham. |
c. 685 | c. 706 | See absorbed by Winchester diocese, after Wessex conquered Sussex under Cædwalla. | |
? betw. 706–716 | betw. 716–731 | Eadberht | Also recorded as Eadbeorht, Eadbertus; previously Abbot of Selsey Abbey; often deemed first bishop of this see; died in office. |
betw. 716–731 | betw. 716–731 | Eolla | Died in office. |
betw. 716–731 | 733 | See vacant | |
733 | betw. 747–765 | Sigeferth | Also recorded as Sigelmus, Sigfridus, Sigga, Siggca, Sicgga ; died in office. |
betw. 747–765 | betw. 772–780 | Aluberht | Also recorded as Ealabeorht, Alubrithus, Alubertus; died in office. |
betw. 747–765 | betw. 772–780 | Oswald | Also recorded as Osweald, Osa; died in office. |
betw. 772–780 | betw. 781–787 | Gislhere | Also recorded as Giselherus; died in office. |
betw. 781–787 | betw. 786–789 | Tota | Died in office. |
betw. 787–789 | betw. 805–811 | Wihthun | Died in office. |
betw. 805–811 | betw. 816–824 | Æthelwulf | Also recorded as Ethelulphus; died in office. |
betw. 816–824 | betw. 839–845 | Cynered | Also recorded as Coenred, Coenredus; died in office. |
betw. 839–845 | aft. 860 | Guthheard | Also recorded as Guthard, Guðheard; left office. |
aft. 860 | bef. 900 | See possibly vacant | |
bef. 900 | c. 909, or betw. 909–925 | Wighelm | Died in office. |
c. 909, or betw. 909–925 | 930 or 931 | Beornheah | Also recorded as Beornegus; died in office; in Heylyn is placed between Ethelulphus and Coenredus.[2] |
930 or 931 | betw. 940–943 | Wulfhun | Omitted in Heylyn;[2] died in office. |
betw. 940–943 | betw. 953–956 | Ælfred | Also recorded as Alfredus; died in office. |
betw. 953–956 | betw. 956–963 | Brihthelm | Sometimes identified with Beorhthelm of Winchester; either died in office or translated to Winchester. |
betw. 956–963 | 979 or 980 | Eadhelm | Died in office. |
980 | 988 | Æthelgar | Translated to Canterbury. |
betw. 988–990 | betw. 1007–1009 | Ordbriht | Died in office. |
betw. 1007–1011 | 1031 or 1032 | Ælfmær | Died in office. |
1032 or 1033 | 1038 | Æthelric (I) | Died in office. |
1039 | 1047 | Grimketel | Also recorded as Grimcytel; died in office. |
1047 | 1057 | Heca | Died in office. |
1058 | 1070 | Æthelric (II) | Also recorded as Ethelric; deposed and imprisoned by William the Conqueror. |
1070 | c.1075 | Stigand | See moved to Chichester by decree of the Council of London (1075), Stigand was the last Bishop of Selsey and first Bishop of Chichester. |
Source(s):[1][2][3][4][5][6] | |||
References
- 1 2 Dallaway.History of the Western Division of the county of Sussex, Volume 1 p. 25 Retrieved 24 February 2014
- 1 2 3 Heylyn, Peter (1773). A Help to English History. London: Paul Wright. pp. 54–55.
Heylyn also cites Headda (686) and Daniel (705) as successors to Wilfrid.
- ↑ "Historical successions: Chichester (including precussor offices)". Crockford's Clerical Directory. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ↑ Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd, reprinted 2003 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 221, 238, and 272. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
- ↑ Greenway, D. E. (1996). "Bishops of Chichester". Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 5: Chichester. British History Online. pp. 1–6.
- ↑ Kelly, S. E, ed. (1998). "Charters of Selsey". Anglo-Saxon Charters: Volume 6. Trinity College, Cambridge. Retrieved 21 July 2012.