[MR] Death of St. Aldhelm

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 709, Aldhelm, religious scholar, Abbot of Malmesbury and
Bishop of Sherborne, died peacefully at Doulting, in Somerset, England.

Aldhelm (circa 639-709) was one of the most important English religious
scholars of his time. He was also a poet, and a prolific writer, and many
of his works survive. He is said to have been the first Anglo-Saxon
language librarian. During his life he was a popular preacher, and often
attracted attention with songs and jokes to warm up his audiences before
launching into a sermon.

Upon his death, Aldhelm was pronounced a saint by popular acclaim, and 25
May became his feast day. Although initially buried in St. Michael's Church
in nearby Malmesbury, Aldhelm actually passed away in the small village of
Doulting. A delightful stone church dedicated to Aldhelm, very old but
certainly not the original, stands at the site of his death.

Nearby is St. Aldhelm's Well, which issues from a spring that rises under
the hill upon which the current church stands. We had the honor of visiting
this well (and the church) during a trip across the Big Puddle in 2005. It
is said that Aldhelm used to sit in meditation in the icy waters. During
the later middle ages, a well shrine was erected here, only to be destroyed
in the Reformation. Supposedly the ruins are still in the bushes around the
well, though I didn't see them. Or maybe this wasn't really Aldhelm's
original well. There is another spring in Malmesbury near his abbey which
is also a likely candidate (in someone's garden on private property).
"Well" . . .  why not two? [Groan!]

More about Aldhelm is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldhelm .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Despite puns, continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in
business.