Gilling Abbey
Encyclopedia
Gilling Abbey was a medieval Anglo-Saxon
monastery established in Yorkshire.
It was founded at Gilling in what is currently Yorkshire
by Queen Eanflæd, the wife of King Oswiu of Northumbria
, who persuaded her husband to found it at the site where Oswiu had killed a rival and kinsman, King Oswine of Deira
. Oswine died around 651 or 652. Eanflæd forced her husband to found the monastery in order to atone for Oswine's death, as Eanflæd was related to Oswine also, and was Oswine's second cousin. Under the laws of the time, the only way that Eanflæd could take revenge was to kill her husband, unless she accepted a weregild
. The abbey was located on the estate she received as weregild. Eanflæd also requested that the first abbot be a kinsman of Oswine's. By founding the monastery, Oswiu and Eanflæd avoided the creation of a feud. The date of foundation was shortly after Oswine's death.
The monastery promoted the cult of Oswine as a saint, one of a number of murdered Anglo-Saxon kings that were considered saints.
The first abbot of the monastery was a relative of Oswine's named Trumhere. The second abbot was Cynefrith, who later left the abbey and went to Ireland. Another early abbot was Trumbert
, who either became Bishop of Hexham
after being abbot, or was abbot after being deposed as bishop. Gilling may be identical with the monastery of Ingetlingum, which had close ties to the monastery at Ripon
, which was held by Wilfrid
. Gilling became depopulated from the plague, sometime before 669. Because of this, one of the monks there, Ceolfrith, brother of Cynefrith, went to Ripon. Ceolfrith later went to Wearmouth-Jarrow, where he became abbot. It is unknown whether the depopulation of the monastery from the plague meant the end of the religious community at Gilling, or if it continued to exist after that.
The abbey's location has traditionally held to have been in or near Gilling West, Yorkshire
. An alternative location of Gilling East, Yorkshire
has been proposed by historians Richard Morris and Ian Wood.
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
monastery established in Yorkshire.
It was founded at Gilling in what is currently Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
by Queen Eanflæd, the wife of King Oswiu of Northumbria
Oswiu of Northumbria
Oswiu , also known as Oswy or Oswig , was a King of Bernicia. His father, Æthelfrith of Bernicia, was killed in battle, fighting against Rædwald, King of the East Angles and Edwin of Deira at the River Idle in 616...
, who persuaded her husband to found it at the site where Oswiu had killed a rival and kinsman, King Oswine of Deira
Oswine of Deira
Oswine was a King of Deira in northern England. He succeeded King Oswald of Northumbria, probably around the year 644, after Oswald's death at the Battle of Maserfield. Oswine was the son of Osric....
. Oswine died around 651 or 652. Eanflæd forced her husband to found the monastery in order to atone for Oswine's death, as Eanflæd was related to Oswine also, and was Oswine's second cousin. Under the laws of the time, the only way that Eanflæd could take revenge was to kill her husband, unless she accepted a weregild
Weregild
Weregild was a value placed on every human being and every piece of property in the Salic Code...
. The abbey was located on the estate she received as weregild. Eanflæd also requested that the first abbot be a kinsman of Oswine's. By founding the monastery, Oswiu and Eanflæd avoided the creation of a feud. The date of foundation was shortly after Oswine's death.
The monastery promoted the cult of Oswine as a saint, one of a number of murdered Anglo-Saxon kings that were considered saints.
The first abbot of the monastery was a relative of Oswine's named Trumhere. The second abbot was Cynefrith, who later left the abbey and went to Ireland. Another early abbot was Trumbert
Trumbert
Trumbert was a monk of Jarrow, a disciple of St. Chad and later Bishop of Hexham.-Life:He was educated at Lastingham by Ceadda, and was a teacher of Bede. He was the Bishop of the See of Hexham from 681 until he was deposed in 685 and was succeeded by Eata. He had previously been a monk at Ripon...
, who either became Bishop of Hexham
Bishop of Hexham
The Bishop of Hexham was an episcopal title which took its name after the market town of Hexham in Northumberland, England. The title was first used by the Anglo-Saxons in the 7th and 9th centuries, and then by the Roman Catholic Church in the 19th century....
after being abbot, or was abbot after being deposed as bishop. Gilling may be identical with the monastery of Ingetlingum, which had close ties to the monastery at Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
, which was held by 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...
. Gilling became depopulated from the plague, sometime before 669. Because of this, one of the monks there, Ceolfrith, brother of Cynefrith, went to Ripon. Ceolfrith later went to Wearmouth-Jarrow, where he became abbot. It is unknown whether the depopulation of the monastery from the plague meant the end of the religious community at Gilling, or if it continued to exist after that.
The abbey's location has traditionally held to have been in or near Gilling West, Yorkshire
Gilling West
Gilling West is a large village in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located in the civil parish of Gilling with Hartforth and Sedbury....
. An alternative location of Gilling East, Yorkshire
Gilling East
Gilling East is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies on the main B1363 road between York and Helmsley and two miles south of Oswaldkirk...
has been proposed by historians Richard Morris and Ian Wood.