Oswine the Anti-Hero

(A post from the archive on the anniversary of King Oswine's death.) King Oswine of Deira (Yorkshire) 20 August 651 Today is the anniversary of the execution of King Oswine of Deira, considered by some to be a saint. All we know of Oswine is included in Bede's History (Book III:14). Bede writes a curious...

FB: Din-Guaïroï /Bebbanburg/Bamburgh

You knew I couldn't wait too long to do Bamburgh. 🙂 Thanks to Bernard Cromwell it may be the best known Anglo-Saxon fortress site in England today anyway. Din-Guaïroï Din Guaïroï is the name given to Bamburgh in the Historia Brittonum, which then later tells us that it was renamed Bebbanburgh for Æthelfrith's queen. The...

LKM: Bernicia/Bryneich

Bernicia or Bryneich? We know that the name of the kingdom was British and their name for it was Bryneich. No one has put forth a compelling translation for Bryneich. It appears to have been the southern part of Votandini (Gododdin) territory under the Romans, although it may have been independent then just without its...

Random thoughts on St Oswald at Prayer

From Bede's History III.12 (McClure and Collins, p. 129) "It is related, for example, that every often he [King Oswald] would continue in prayer from matins to daybreak; and because of his frequent habit of prayer and thanksgiving, he was always accustomed, whenever he sat, to place his hands on his knees with the palms...

Lindisfarne’s Long Century

Over to the left you will notice another new web page. They seem to be really proliferating. So what is Lindisfarne's Century? Well, its a place to collect posts on Lindisfarne. Lindisfarne's Century refers to their short period of dominance or high influence from about 635 to 750. Lindisfarne continued, of course, into at least...

PW: Bishop Trumhere of Mercia, Middle Anglia & Lindsey

Trumhere is an interesting fellow and another glimpse into King Oswine's church. Trumhere first appears on the scene in the days following Oswine's death in August 651 when King Oswiu founds the monastery of Gilling to pray for both kings. Bede describes Trumhere as a close kinsman of King Oswine who was made abbot over...