Eadberht of Selsey
Encyclopedia
Eadberht of Selsey was an abbot
of Selsey Abbey
, later promoted to become the first Bishop of Selsey, though neither the date of his consecration nor of his death are known. He was consecrated sometime between 709 and 716, and died between 716 and 731. Wilfrid
has occasionally been regarded as a previous bishop of the South Saxons, but this is an insertion of his name into the episcopal lists by later medieval writers, and Wilfrid was not considered the bishop during his lifetime or Bede
's.
As abbot Eadberht received, around 700, a grant of land from Bryni, Ealdorman of Sussex, that was witnessed by Kings Nothelm of Sussex
and Watt of Sussex
.
In a charter
dated by Birch about 725, Eadberht was named as the beneficiary of land from King Nothelm, witnessed by King Watt. But this charter is now believed to be a forgery from the late 10th century or early 11th century.
Eadberht also appears as a witness to an undated charter of Nothelm, together with Osric
and Eolla
. The charter can be approximately dated to some point between about 705 and 717.
Eadberht last appearance is as a witness to a confirmation, dated 716, of a charter of Wihtred, King of Kent
.
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Selsey Abbey
Selsey Abbey
Selsey Abbey was almost certainly built at Church Norton, Selsey, Sussex, England. It was founded in 683AD, and became the seat of the Sussex bishopric, until it was moved in 1075AD to Chichester.-Historical Context :...
, later promoted to become the first Bishop of Selsey, though neither the date of his consecration nor of his death are known. He was consecrated sometime between 709 and 716, and died between 716 and 731. Wilfrid
Wilfrid
Wilfrid was an English bishop and saint. Born a Northumbrian noble, he entered religious life as a teenager and studied at Lindisfarne, at Canterbury, in Gaul, and at Rome; he returned to Northumbria in about 660, and became the abbot of a newly founded monastery at Ripon...
has occasionally been regarded as a previous bishop of the South Saxons, but this is an insertion of his name into the episcopal lists by later medieval writers, and Wilfrid was not considered the bishop during his lifetime or Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
's.
As abbot Eadberht received, around 700, a grant of land from Bryni, Ealdorman of Sussex, that was witnessed by Kings Nothelm of Sussex
Nothelm of Sussex
Noðhelm, or Nunna for short, was King of Sussex, apparently reigning jointly with Watt, Osric, and Æðelstan.-Life:Kelly noted the names of rulers in Sussex starting with Aethel- and Os- and suggested they might have been relatives. She also referred to the King list of Hwicce in this respect and...
and Watt of Sussex
Watt of Sussex
Watt was a South Saxon whose existence is attested by three charters that he witnessed, in the reign of Noðhelm, as Wattus Rex. He probably would have ruled between about AD 692 and 725 and there is some suggestion that he may have been King of the Hæstingas.-Charter evidence:He witnessed a charter...
.
In a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
dated by Birch about 725, Eadberht was named as the beneficiary of land from King Nothelm, witnessed by King Watt. But this charter is now believed to be a forgery from the late 10th century or early 11th century.
Eadberht also appears as a witness to an undated charter of Nothelm, together with Osric
Osric of Sussex
Osric was possibly a King of Sussex, reigning jointly with Noðhelm.There is an undated charter of Noðhelm that is witnessed by Osric, as Osricus, without indication of rank or territory, but listed before, and therefore ranked higher than, Eadberht, Bishop of Selsey, whose rank and see are also...
and Eolla
Eolla
Eolla, Bishop of Selsey, was the successor of Eadberht, and seems to have previously been Abbot of Selsey, as he witnessed a charter of Noðhelm together with Osric and Eadberht. He seems to have succeeded as bishop in either 716 or 717. His date of death is sometime between 716 and 731.-External...
. The charter can be approximately dated to some point between about 705 and 717.
Eadberht last appearance is as a witness to a confirmation, dated 716, of a charter of Wihtred, King of Kent
Wihtred of Kent
Wihtred was king of Kent from about 690 or 691 until his death. He was a son of Ecgberht I and a brother of Eadric. Wihtred acceded to the throne after a confused period in the 680s, which included a brief conquest of Kent by Cædwalla of Wessex and subsequent dynastic conflicts...
.