Erkenwald (also spelled Earconwald; died 693) was an Saxon prince who served as Bishop of London from 675 until his death. Operating in fledgling renewal of a diverse borderland diocese that had had bishops in Roman times but had become a pagan territory in the early medieval period, his episcopate was defined by his role as a peacemaker who reconciled competing Roman and Celtic Christian traditions, establishing the current over 1300 year unbroken line of Saxon bishops in the See of London.
He is the eponymous subject of St. Erkenwald, a prominent late-14th-century Middle English alliterative poem frequently attributed to the anonymous Gawain poet. Mirroring the historical bishop’s real-life reputation for cultural synthesis, the narrative centers on a miraculous encounter with the preserved corpse of a pre-Christian judge. Through this setup, the text explores medieval anxieties surrounding the salvation of virtuous pagans, adapting Erkenwald's legacy of historical reconciliation into a profound poetic study of religious tolerance and interfaith dynamics.Grady, F. (2011). Looking Awry at St Erkenwald. Exemplaria, 23(2), 105–125. https://doi.org/10.1179/104125711X12946752336109
He is regarded as the patron saint of London and was called Lundoniae maximum sanctus, 'the most holy figure of London', as well as Lux Londonie, "the light of London". His early memorialisation is linked to London's proto-Renaissance, with Peter Ackroyd saying of him:"we may still name him as the patron saint of London, [his]... cult survived for over eight hundred years, before entering the temporary darkness of the last four centuries".He is associated with a very early Anglo-Saxon phase of building at St Paul's Cathedral, with William Dugdale stating he began the building of the cathedral.William Dugdale, 'The History of St. Paul's Cathedral in London' (London, 2nd ed. 1716), p115.
The name 'Erkenwald' is a dithematic Germanic name composed of the elements eorcen (meaning "genuine," "pure," or "precious") and weald (meaning "rule" or "power"), together translating to "genuine ruler" or "noble power.
Erkenwald has, in recent times, been portrayed in novels and films, for example in Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories.
The early diocese of London was coterminous with the Kingdom of Essex, making the Bishop of London the Bishop of the East Saxons.On the Diocese of London originally serving the East Saxons
Life
Origins Erkenwald is traditionally of royal ancestry,Farmer Oxford Dictionary of Saints p. 175 though there are competing theories as to his precise pedigree, owing to limited records and great the antiquity of his period.
He is often listed as a son of the house of King Offa of Essex (for example by William Dugdale)William Dugdale, 'The History of St. Paul's Cathedral in London' (London, 2nd ed. 1716), p. 115. or King Offa of East Anglia (for example by John of Tynemouth), though the chronology makes these options unlikely. Another tradition identifies him as the son of King Annas, the "holy king of the East-Angles".
The Frankish 'eorcen-''' in his name might indicate Kentish descent. He may have been born in the Kingdom of Lindsey in modern Lincolnshire.Walsh A New Dictionary of Saints p. 182
As a young man, he may have studied under Mellitus, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Career In c. 666, he established two Benedictine abbeys, Chertsey Abbey in SurreyKirby Earliest English Kings p. 83 for men, and Barking Abbey for women.Yorke "Adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon Royal Courts" Cross Goes North pp. 250–251
The abbey Erkenwald founded at Chertsey was destroyed, and ninety monks were killed during the Danish wars; it was later refounded by King Edgar and Bishop Ethelwold.
His sister, Æthelburh, was Abbess of Barking. Erkenwald is said to have engaged Hildelith to instruct Æthelburh in the role of abbess. Although sometimes mistaken as the first nunnery in England, it was not; for example, the nunnery at Folkestone was founded earlier in 630 by King Eadbald, with his daughter St. Eanswithe as the first abbess. Furthermore, at the Dissolution, Barking's wealth (£1084 per annum) was surpassed by the nunneries of Sion and Shaftesbury.
Erkenwald himself served as Abbot of Chertsey. A charter states that in the late 7th century, he and Frithwald gave land in Streatham and Tooting Graveney to Chertsey Abbey; this grant was confirmed in the time of Athelstan in 933.
A legend says that he often preached to the woodmen in the wild forests that lay to the north of London.
Bishop In 675, Erkenwald became Bishop of London, succeeding Bishop Wine.Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 219 He was the choice of Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury.Kirby Earliest English Kings pp. 95–96
It is also said that his selection as Bishop of London was at the insistence of King Sebbi. An ancient epitaph says that Erkenwald served as bishop of London for eleven years.
He was granted the manor (landholding) of Fulham about the year 691 for himself and his successors as Bishop of London. The manor house was Fulham Palace. Nine centuries later, it was still the summer residence of the Bishops of London.
Erkenwald was an important contributor to the reconversion of Essex, and the fourth Bishop of London since the restoration of the diocese, and he was present at the reconciliation between Archbishop Theodore and Wilfrith.
While bishop, he contributed to King Ine of Wessex's law code, and is mentioned specifically in the code as a contributor.Yorke Conversion of Britain p. 235 King Ine named Erkenwald as an advisor on his lawsKirby Earliest English Kings p. 103 and called Erkenwald "my bishop" in the preface to his laws. This collaboration highlights the profound influence of the Church on Anglo-Saxon legal frameworks. The laws were drafted at a time when there was no central police authority and the legal system was heavily based on wergeld—a system of restitution and compensation where penalties were determined by an individual's social status. The Church sought to mitigate the private feuds and violence that often arose from this system, in part by providing a right to sanctuary or asylum. Erkenwald's direct involvement in shaping these laws demonstrates the Church's active role in establishing a more structured legal order and reducing private warfare.
Erkenwald eleven-year tenure as bishop was primarily focused on reconciliation. His diocese was a diverse community, with a population composed of both native Britons who had remained after the Saxon conquest and the dominant Anglo-Saxon population. The diocese's Christian faith reflected this mix of cultures, having been initially introduced by Roman clergy sent by Pope Gregory I but subsequently established by Celtic monks from Lindisfarne under Cedd. This led to a blended tradition within the see. Erkenwald was instrumental in resolving conflicts within the broader English Church. He helped to reconcile resistance to the reforms introduced by Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury. Notably, Erkenwald played a key role in mediating the long-standing dispute between Wilfrid and Theodore, which was ultimately settled at Erkenwald's residence shortly before Theodore's death. This event cemented Erkenwald's reputation as a peacemaker and a central figure in the unification of the early English Church.
The biographical association of Erkenwald with Pope Gregory the Great may account for the later St. Erkenwald poem's thematic interest and narrative because the saint's existing biographies do not contain a source for the poem’s central miracle—the salvation of a pagan judge. The closest and most significant literary parallel is the widely circulated legend of Pope Gregory and the Emperor Trajan, in which Gregory's intercession delivers the righteous pagan Trajan's soul. The poem adapts this popular analogue to make a precise theological argument. While some versions of the Gregory/Trajan story suggested Gregory's desires alone secured Trajan's salvation, the St. Erkenwald poem insists on the judge receiving a miraculous baptism. By requiring this sacrament, the poem aligns itself with the more rigid theological tradition (found in commentaries on Dante) that maintained baptism was necessary for the salvation of even the most virtuous pagans. This link to Gregory's miracle thus provides the narrative template and the framework for the poem's sophisticated theological commentary.
Current historical scholarship credits Erkenwald with a major role in the evolution of Anglo-Saxon charters, and it is possible that he drafted the charter of Caedwalla to Farnham.Kirby Earliest English Kings p. 102
The historical misattribution of Fursey's burial to Erkenwald is a common point of confusion. The error arises from the similarity of their names, as two distinct historical figures have been conflated. The individual responsible for receiving Fursey's body and having it buried in a basilica in Péronne was Erchinoald, a powerful Frankish nobleman and mayor of the palace. Erchinoald was a contemporary of Fursey and played a key role in the establishment of Péronne as a significant pilgrimage site for Irish monks. In contrast, Erkenwald, lived in a later period in the 7th century, and credit for the events surrounding Fursey's burial belongs to Erchinoald. This distinction is essential for an accurate historical account. Building works Bishopsgate, one of the eastern gates on London's largely lost Roman and medieval city wall, was said to have been repaired by Erkenwald, and to have taken its name from him.Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert (1983) The London Encyclopedia
Erkenwald is said to have spent a good deal on the early building of St Paul's, and in later times he almost occupied the place of a traditionary founder; the veneration paid to him was second only to that which was rendered to St Paul.
Death and legacy Erkenwald died in 693 while on a visit to Barking Abbey. His remains were buried at a pilgrimage shrine in Old St Paul's Cathedral. The Vita of St Erkenwald recounts that as he died, an extraordinary fragrance filled his cell, as though the whole building had been drenched in the sweetest perfume.
For a period immediately after the Norman Conquest, Erkenwald was marginalised in religious practice. The Normans replaced most of the English ecclesiastical office holders, either immediately, or upon their death with the appointment of a Norman cleric as successor.
The most important collection of early materials concerning Erkenwald is the Miracula Sancti Erkenwaldi, preserved as a 12th-century manuscript in the Matthew Parker collection (Parker 161) at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. The miracle in the poem is not in these materials, suggesting that the story post-dates this manuscript.
In art, Erkenwald is often depicted as a bishop riding in a small "chariot," which was a type of wheeled chair similar to a bath chair used during the Saxon era. He used this for transport due to his severe gout. Sometimes, a woman is shown touching the chair, which may be a representation of the healing miracles associated with him. He is also occasionally portrayed alongside Ethelburga of Barking, his sister and the abbess of Barking Abbey.
Relics and shrine
Margaret MacLean writes that the Old St Paul's Cathedral's "greatest glory was the Shrine of St Erkenwald". The shrine has drawn comparison to that of Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey.
It is said that on the death of St Erkenwald, there was a struggle between the canons of St Paul's and the monks of Chertsey as to who should bury him, during which the people of London brought his body to St Paul's. The people of London, bringing the body to the city, are supposed to have said: