Bishop of Dunwich (ancient)

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The Anglo-Saxon dioceses 850-925 England diocese map pre-925.svg
The Anglo-Saxon dioceses 850–925

The Bishop of Dunwich is an episcopal title which was first used by an Anglo-Saxon bishop between the seventh and ninth centuries and is currently used by the suffragan bishop of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The title takes its name after Dunwich in the English county of Suffolk. Previously a significant port, this town has now largely been lost to the sea.

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In about 630 or 631 a diocese was established by St. Felix for the Kingdom of the East Angles, with his episcopal seat initially, briefly established at Soham before being transferred to Dunwich on the Suffolk coast. There is a possibility the unidentified Dommoc may be Dunwich, but this is yet to be proved. In 672 the diocese was divided into the sees of Dunwich and Elmham by St. Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury.

The line of bishops of Dunwich continued until it was interrupted by the Danish Viking invasions in the late ninth and early tenth centuries. By the mid 950s the sees of Dunwich and Elmham were reunited under one bishop, with the episcopal see at Elmham.

List of bishops

Bishops of the East Angles (purportedly established at Soham)
FromUntilIncumbentNotes.
c.630c.630 Felix of Burgundy Also known as St Felix
Bishops of the East Angles (established at Dunwich or translated from Soham)
630 x 631647 x 648Felix of BurgundyAlso known as St Felix.
647 x 648652 x 653 Thomas Deacon.
652 x 653669 x 670 Brigilsus Also recorded as Beorhtgils, Berhtgils, and Boniface (Bonifatius).
669 x 670672 Bifus Resigned in 672; also recorded as Bisi.
In 672, the diocese was divided into the sees of Dunwich and Elmham
Bishops of Dunwich
FromUntilIncumbentNotes.
672 x ? ? Acca Also recorded as Æcce and Æcci.
 ? ? Ascwulf
 ? x 716716 x ? Eardred
 ? ? Cuthwine Also recorded as Cuthwynus.
 ? x 731731 x ? Ealdbeorht I Also recorded as Alberht.
 ? ? Ecglaf Also recorded as Eglasius.
 ? x 747747 x ? Eardwulf Also recorded as Heardwulf.
747 x 775775 x 781 Ealdbeorht II Also recorded as Alberthus and Ealdberht.
 ? x 781789 x 793 Heardred Also recorded as Hardulfus.
789 x 793798 Ælfhun Also recorded as Ælphunus.
798816 x 824 Tidfrith Also recorded as Tidfreth, Tedfrid, and Thefridus.
816 x 824824 x 825 Waormund Also recorded as Wærmund and Weremundus.
825845 x 870 Wilred Also recorded as Wilfredus.
845 x 870 ? Æthelweald Also recorded as Æthelwold, Æthelwulf.
After interruption by the Danish Viking invasions, Dunwich was united to the see of Elmham.
Note(s): [A] and Source(s): [1] [2] [3] [4]

Footnotes

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 216. ISBN   0-521-56350-X.
  2. ↑ Hadcock, R. Neville; Knowles, David (1971). Medieval Religious Houses England & Wales. Longman. p. 482. ISBN   0-582-11230-3.
  3. ↑ "Historical successions: Norwich (including precursor offices)". Crockford's Clerical Directory. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  4. ↑ Hadcock, R.Neville; Knowles, David (1971). Medieval Religious Houses England & Wales. Longman. p. 482. ISBN   0-582-11230-3.
  5. ↑ Powicke, F. Maurice; Fryde, E. B. (1961). Handbook of British Chronology (2nd ed.). London: Offices of the Royal Historical Society. p. 220.
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