Wulsin (Abbot Ulsinus)

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Wulsin (also known as Abbot Ulsinus) was a ninth- or tenth-century abbot of St Alban's Abbey, England. According to the 13th-century chronicler Matthew Paris, in 948 he founded St Albans School, which is still active.

Abbot Wulsin (Ulsinus) also founded the St Albans Market in an attempt to establish a settlement within the confines of the abbey. [1] According to the Abbey Chronicles, the Abbot Wulsin "… loved the area of St. Albans and the people who lived there and sought to improve it. He made it possible for people to come and live there, bringing them together from the surrounding areas, adding to and enlarging the market, and also helped those constructing buildings with the cost of timber …" The date given for this activity is 948 although it is now generally considered that Wulsin's floruit was earlier, around c. 860–880. [2] [3] [4]

Towards the end of the 9th century, Wulsin built churches at the three entrances to the town, on the streets now known as St Peter's Street, St Michael's Street and St Stephen's Hill, to welcome pilgrims on their way to the shrine of St Alban inside the abbey church. St Peter's is located to the northeast of the abbey. St Michael's lies to the west among the foundations of the old basilica (law-court) of Roman Verulamium, where Alban was condemned to die. Bearing in mind that, in sending the first missionaries to Britain, Pope Gregory had instructed them to build churches on important pagan sites, this can hardly be a coincidence. The first churches were likely to have been simple timber structures. [5] The town of St Albans grew around these establishments.

Ulsinus diverted Watling Street, which linked St Stephen's and St Michael's, in order to bring traffic through the town centre (the abbey owned the market rights and also charged tolls). This brought traffic up Holywell Hill, which is named after a medieval holy well, and it was along this route that the supplies for the Abbey were transported. [6]

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References

  1. ↑ Roft, Derek (20 May 2010). "The Town That Time Forgot". Herts Memories. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  2. ↑ Saunders, Chris (24 February 2003). "Market Place". www.salbani.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  3. ↑ Goose, Nigel; Slater, T. R. (2008). A County of Small Towns (1st ed.). Hertfordshire: Hertfordshire Publications. p. 305. ISBN   9781905313440.
  4. ↑ Roberts, Eileen (1993). The Hill of the Martyr: an Architectural History of St Albans Abbey (1st ed.). Book Castle. p. 262. ISBN   9781871199215.
  5. ↑ "St Michael's: A Brief History". St Michael with St Mary. 14 June 2004. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Wotherspoon, Melissa; Goldsmith, Amy; Gibson, Adrian; Grant, Jonathan (2004). "18 & 19 George Street, St Albans: Historical Building Appraisal" (PDF). Archaeology Data Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2024.


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