Trumwine of Abercorn
Encyclopedia
Trumwine was the only ever Bishop
of the Northumbrian see
of the Picts
, based at Abercorn
.
Although his previous background is unknown, in 681
, during the reign of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria
, Trumwine was appointed "Bishop of the Picts" by Theodore of Tarsus
, then Archbishop of Canterbury
. This was part of a more general division of the Northumbrian church by the Archbishop, who also divided the Bishopric of Hexham
from the Bishopric of Lindisfarne. After the defeat and death of Ecgfrith at the Battle of Dunnichen in 685
, Trumwine was forced to flee from his Pictish bishopric, retiring to the monastery at Whitby
. It is possible that Trumwine was present at the aforementioned battle, and certainly he would have been a valuable source of advice for Ecgfrith. Whatever the case here, the English were defeated, expelled from Southern Pictland, and the English episcopal establishment at Abercorn was hence abandoned and the diocese ceased to exist. The territory of modern West Lothian
hence probably passed into the hands of the Verturian
kings, although it is also possible that the British of Alt Clut
took it over.
In his days after 685
, it is known that Trumwine interacted with Bede
, and Bede's Life of Saint Cuthbert tells us that Trumwine was used as one of its sources. Trumwine is said to have related a story about Saint Cuthbert's childhood, which in turn had supposedly been told to Trumwine by Cuthbert himself.
He was buried in Saint Peter's church in Whitby.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Northumbrian see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the Picts
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
, based at Abercorn
Abercorn
Abercorn is a village and parish in West Lothian, Scotland. Close to the south coast of the Firth of Forth, the village is around west of South Queensferry.-History:...
.
Although his previous background is unknown, in 681
681
Year 681 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 681 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* The Bulgars under Asparukh win...
, during the reign of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria
Ecgfrith of Northumbria
King Ecgfrith was the King of Northumbria from 670 until his death. He ruled over Northumbria when it was at the height of its power, but his reign ended with a disastrous defeat in which he lost his life.-Early life:...
, Trumwine was appointed "Bishop of the Picts" by Theodore of Tarsus
Theodore of Tarsus
Theodore was the eighth Archbishop of Canterbury, best known for his reform of the English Church and establishment of a school in Canterbury....
, then Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
. This was part of a more general division of the Northumbrian church by the Archbishop, who also divided the Bishopric 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....
from the Bishopric of Lindisfarne. After the defeat and death of Ecgfrith at the Battle of Dunnichen in 685
685
Year 685 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 685 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* September – Justinian II...
, Trumwine was forced to flee from his Pictish bishopric, retiring to the monastery at Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
. It is possible that Trumwine was present at the aforementioned battle, and certainly he would have been a valuable source of advice for Ecgfrith. Whatever the case here, the English were defeated, expelled from Southern Pictland, and the English episcopal establishment at Abercorn was hence abandoned and the diocese ceased to exist. The territory of modern West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
hence probably passed into the hands of the Verturian
Fortriu
Fortriu or the Kingdom of Fortriu is the name given by historians for an ancient Pictish kingdom, and often used synonymously with Pictland in general...
kings, although it is also possible that the British of Alt Clut
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
took it over.
In his days after 685
685
Year 685 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 685 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* September – Justinian II...
, it is known that Trumwine interacted with 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...
, and Bede's Life of Saint Cuthbert tells us that Trumwine was used as one of its sources. Trumwine is said to have related a story about Saint Cuthbert's childhood, which in turn had supposedly been told to Trumwine by Cuthbert himself.
He was buried in Saint Peter's church in Whitby.