Ancient Diocese of Hereford

(HEREFORDENSIS)

Located in England. Though the name of Putta, the exiled Bishop of Rochester, is usually given as the first Bishop Of Hereford (676), Venerable Bede's account merely states that he was granted a church and some land in Mercia by Sexulf, Bishop of Lichfield. This, however, was probably the nucleus from which the diocese grew, though its limits were not precisely fixed even by the end of the eighth century. In 793 the body of the martyred Ethelbert, King of the East Saxons, was buried at Hereford, and his shrine became a place of pilgrimage famous for miracles. His name was joined with that of the Blessed Virgin as titular, so that the cathedral, which was served by secular canons, was known as the Church of St. Mary and St. Ethelbert. The shrine was destroyed by the Welsh in 1055, when the cathedral, which had been recently rebuilt, was much damaged. It was restored after the Norman Conquest by Bishop Robert de Losinga, the intimate friend of St. Wulstan of Worcester. His immediate successors made further additions, and the great central tower was built about 1200. The clerestory to the choir, the beautiful Early English Lady Chapel and the north transept were added during the thirteenth century. Unfortunately the cathedral has suffered much from unskilful restoration, and some of the medieval work has been replaced by eighteenth-century architecture, notably the west front, which was ruined by the fall of a tower in 1786. The cathedral was remarkable for not conforming to the Sarum Rite, but for maintaining its own "Hereford Use" down to the Reformation. It had its own Breviary and Missal, and portions of the antiphonary have also survived. The diocese was generally fortunate in its bishops, two of whom are specially prominent: John de Breton, the great English lawyer (1268-1275); and his successor, Thomas de Cantilupe, better known as St. Thomas of Hereford, the last English saint to be canonized. He was chancellor to King Henry III when he was elected bishop, and had wide experience of government. In the disputes which arose between Archbishop Peckham and his suffragans, St. Thomas was chosen to lay the cause of the bishops before the pope, and while on this mission he died. His relics were buried at Hereford, where his shrine became the scene of numerous miracles. Part of the relics were saved at the Reformation and are now at Stonyhurst, but it would appear that some remained at Hereford, for as late as 1610 they were carried in procession by the people during the plague. In the cathedral is still preserved the celebrated "Mappa Mundi", designed by Richard of Battle in the thirteenth century. The diocese consisted of nearly all Herefordshire, with part of Shropshire, and parishes in the counties of Worcester, Monmouth, Montgomery and Radnor. It was divided into two archdeaconries, Hereford and Salop. There were about thirty religious houses in the diocese, the Augustinians having seven, including the priory of Wigmore, and the Benedictines ten, among which was the great priory of Leominster. There were Cluniacs at Clifford, Wenlock and Preen, Cistercians at Doré and Flaxley. Dominicans and Franciscans both had priories in Hereford; at Ludlow there were Carmelites and Austin Friars.

The following is the list of bishops of Hereford, with dates of appointment, the chronology before 1012 being partly conjectural: —

Putta, 676	Vacancy, 1168
Thyrtell, 693	Robert Foliot, 1174
Torchtere, 710	William de Vere, 1186
Walchstod, 727	Giles de Braose, 1200
Cuthbert, 736	Hugh de Mapenor, 1216
Podda, 746	Hugh Foliot, 1219
Acca, c. 758	Ralph de Maydenstan,1234
Aldberht, 777	Peter of Savoy, 1240
Esne, 781	John de Breton, 1268
Celmundus, 793	St. Thomas de Cantilupe, 1275
Edulf, 796	Richard Swinfield, 1283
Utel, c. 798	Adam Orleton, 1316
Wulfhard, 803	Thomas Charleton, 1327
Benna, 824	John Trilleck, 1344
Eadulf, c. 825	Lewis Charleton, 1361
Cuthwulf, 838	William Courtenay, 1370
Mucellus, c. 857	John Gilbert, 1375
Deorlaf, 866	Thomas Trevenant, 1389
Ethelbert, 868	Robert Mascall, 1404
Cunemund, 888	Edmund Lacy, 1417
Athelstan I, 895	Thomas Polton, 1420
Eadgar, c. 901	Thomas Spofford, 1421
Tidhelm, c. 930	Richard Beauchamp, 1448
Wulfhelm, c. 935	Reginald Buller, 1450
Aifric, 941	John Stanberry, 1453
Athulf, c. 966	Thomas Mylling, 1474
Athelstan II, 1012	Edmund Audley, 1492
Leofgar, 1056	Adrian de Castello, 1503
Vacancy, 1056	Richard Mayhew, 1504
Walter of Lorraine, 1061	Charles Booth, 1516
Robert de Losinga, 1079	Schismatical bishops: —
Gerard, 1096	Edward Foxe, 1535
Vacancy, 1101	Edmund Bonner, 1538 (translated to London before consecration)
Reynelm, 1107
Geoffrey de Clive, 1115	John Skypp, 1539
Richard de Capella, 1121	John Harley, 1553
Vacancy, 1127	Canonical bishops: —
Robert de Bethune, 1131	Robert Parfew, 1554
Gilbert Foliot, 1148	Thomas Reynolds, 1557 (died a prisoner for the faith before consecration)
Robert de Maledon, 1163

The arms of the see were: Gules, three leopard's heads reversed, jessant as many fleurs-de-lys, or.