Saxon Origins

Anglo-Saxon Christianity arrived in Herefordshire in the 7th century AD, when the local ruling family was converted to the new faith. Leominster became an early ecclesiastical centre with a convent. Saxon convents and monasteries served two purposes: they were centres of contemplation and prayer for the monks and nuns, and they were the administrative centres for missionary activity for the surrounding area. For further information on Early Christian Leominster, see Joe Hillaby, "Early Christian and Pre-Conquest Leominster: An Exploration of the Sources", in Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, Volume XLV Part III, 1987, pp. 557-685. 

The Diocese

In the century that followed the triumph of the Roman Church over the Celtic one at the Synod of Whitby in AD 664, Archbishop Theodore reorganised the diocesan system, emphasising that the boundaries of a diocese should cover the territory of a tribe. In Herefordshire, for example, the Bishop was based at Hereford Cathedral, but he also had Minster churches in Bromyard, Ledbury, Leominster and Stoke Edith, which became mission centres for the surrounding area. [The word "cathedral" comes from the Latin word "cathedra", which is the throne of the Bishop.] The area of the entire diocese encompassed what is today Herefordshire and the southern part of Shropshire. This area overlaps with the territory of the Magonsaetan, the Saxon tribe who had moved into this area.

In the early Middle Ages parishes did not have official boundaries. Villagers knew which church they should attend for special services, such as baptisms. Minsters could be staffed either by monks or by clergy such as canons and priests. These men would conduct a sort of outreach programme, converting peasants and providing pastoral care in outlying areas.

Throughout the Middle Ages bishops were powerful lords who not only supervised many parishes and clergy but managed many manors and large tracts of farmland. Bishops were involved in the founding of towns and often got involved in politics. They were also very wealthy. Account books can give us an insight into the daily life of bishops. For example, we have a detailed record of what the household of Richard de Swinfield, Bishop of Hereford, purchased in 1289 for the Christmas festivities: 

"About 70 people, which included at least 15 guests, ate more than one boar, two complete carcasses and three quarters of beef, two calves, four doves, four pigs, about 60 hens, eight partridges, two geese and much bread and cheese during the three day festivities. Three hundred dishes, 150 large plates and 200 small plates were bought specially for these Christmas dinners. The day before Christmas was considered a fast day when meat was banned. The records show that therefore, a considerable amount of fish, such as herring, conger eel, codling and salmon was eaten. To replace cow's milk on fast days, 'almond milk' was prepared which was very expensive as large amounts of almonds were needed." (P.W. Hammond, Food and Feast in Medieval England, Alan Sutton, 1993, p. 65)

[Original author: Toria Forsyth-Moser, 2002]