North Ages
@northages.bsky.social
Early medieval northern Britain, taking in Picts, Gaels, Britons, Angles and Norse. Feast days, on this day, place-names, archaeology news and book releases. Posts by Dundonian bookworm Craig. https://northages.wordpress.com/
Ecgberht, bishop (732-5) and archbishop of York, died #OTD in 766. Brother of Northumbrian king Eadberht (737-58) and recipient of Bede’s letter of 734, which helped shape his reforms. He founded the school whose alumni included Alcuin. Ælberht succeeded him. 📸York Museums Trust #medievalsky
November 19, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Ecgberht, bishop (732-5) and archbishop of York, died #OTD in 766. Brother of Northumbrian king Eadberht (737-58) and recipient of Bede’s letter of 734, which helped shape his reforms. He founded the school whose alumni included Alcuin. Ælberht succeeded him. 📸York Museums Trust #medievalsky
Thomas I (of Bayeux), first Norman archbishop of York and founder of the Norman cathedral, died #OTD in 1100. He once claimed to have spent a night beside the tomb of St Cuthbert, where he had received a vision and been healed of his infirmities. 📸Paul Lakin #medievalsky
November 18, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Thomas I (of Bayeux), first Norman archbishop of York and founder of the Norman cathedral, died #OTD in 1100. He once claimed to have spent a night beside the tomb of St Cuthbert, where he had received a vision and been healed of his infirmities. 📸Paul Lakin #medievalsky
Nov 18: Feast of Fergus (C8th) ‘the Pict’, bishop. He founded churches across the north and east of Scotland, and may be the Fergustus episcopus Scotiae Pictus present at the Council of Rome in 721. He was buried at Glamis, Angus, his head later translated to Scone, Perthshire. #medievalsky
November 18, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Nov 18: Feast of Fergus (C8th) ‘the Pict’, bishop. He founded churches across the north and east of Scotland, and may be the Fergustus episcopus Scotiae Pictus present at the Council of Rome in 721. He was buried at Glamis, Angus, his head later translated to Scone, Perthshire. #medievalsky
Nov 17: Feast of Hild (c.614-680), abbess. She succeeded Heiu in charge of Heruteu (Hartlepool) before founding, or refounding, Streanæshalch (Whitby), where she championed the 'Irish' dating of Easter at the synod in 664. She later founded a monastery at Hacanos (Hackness). #medievalsky
November 17, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Nov 17: Feast of Hild (c.614-680), abbess. She succeeded Heiu in charge of Heruteu (Hartlepool) before founding, or refounding, Streanæshalch (Whitby), where she championed the 'Irish' dating of Easter at the synod in 664. She later founded a monastery at Hacanos (Hackness). #medievalsky
Nov 16: Feast of Margaret of Scotland (†1093). English noble who married Máel Coluim III, king of Alba. Church reformer and friend to the poor who founded a free ferry across the Firth of Forth for pilgrims heading to Cennrígmonaid (St Andrews). Her pocket gospel-book survives. #medievalsky
November 16, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Nov 16: Feast of Margaret of Scotland (†1093). English noble who married Máel Coluim III, king of Alba. Church reformer and friend to the poor who founded a free ferry across the Firth of Forth for pilgrims heading to Cennrígmonaid (St Andrews). Her pocket gospel-book survives. #medievalsky
Siward of Northumbria was among the earls who joined Edward the Confessor when the king rode from Gloucester to Winchester to confront his mother Emma #OTD in 1043. Edward deprived her of lands and movables, reportedly because of how she had treated him as a boy. #medievalsky
November 16, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Siward of Northumbria was among the earls who joined Edward the Confessor when the king rode from Gloucester to Winchester to confront his mother Emma #OTD in 1043. Edward deprived her of lands and movables, reportedly because of how she had treated him as a boy. #medievalsky
Oswiu, king of Bernicia, defeated and slew Penda, pagan king of the Mercians, at the Battle of Winwæd, in the district of Loidis (Leeds), #OTD in 655. Oethelwald, king of Deira, had refused to help his northern uncle and was soon replaced by Oswiu’s son Alhfrith. #medievalsky
November 15, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Oswiu, king of Bernicia, defeated and slew Penda, pagan king of the Mercians, at the Battle of Winwæd, in the district of Loidis (Leeds), #OTD in 655. Oethelwald, king of Deira, had refused to help his northern uncle and was soon replaced by Oswiu’s son Alhfrith. #medievalsky
Máel Coluim III, king of Alba, his son Edward and many other Scots were slain in a Norman ambush beside the river Aln #OTD in 1093. Morel, castellan of Bebbanburg (Bamburgh), reportedly killed the ruler. A heartbroken Queen Margaret died just three days later. 📸Bodleian Library #medievalsky
November 13, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Máel Coluim III, king of Alba, his son Edward and many other Scots were slain in a Norman ambush beside the river Aln #OTD in 1093. Morel, castellan of Bebbanburg (Bamburgh), reportedly killed the ruler. A heartbroken Queen Margaret died just three days later. 📸Bodleian Library #medievalsky
Æthelred II, king of the English, convinced of a plot to assassinate him, ordered the deaths of all Danish men within his realm #OTD in 1002. What followed became known as the St Brice’s Day massacre. #medievalsky
November 13, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Æthelred II, king of the English, convinced of a plot to assassinate him, ordered the deaths of all Danish men within his realm #OTD in 1002. What followed became known as the St Brice’s Day massacre. #medievalsky
Pope Leo XIII declared Bede a Doctor of the Church, and made official and universal the title of Saint #OTD in 1899. May 27 was set as his feast day. #medievalsky
November 13, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Pope Leo XIII declared Bede a Doctor of the Church, and made official and universal the title of Saint #OTD in 1899. May 27 was set as his feast day. #medievalsky
Nov 13: Feast of Devenic (Mo Domnóc) (C6th), holy man possibly from Caithness. He became a disciple of Machar, patron saint of Aberdeen. There was an altar dedicated to Devenic jointly with the Five Wounds of Christ at St Machar’s Cathedral. Banchory-Devenick Church 📸Andrew Wood #medievalsky
November 13, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Nov 13: Feast of Devenic (Mo Domnóc) (C6th), holy man possibly from Caithness. He became a disciple of Machar, patron saint of Aberdeen. There was an altar dedicated to Devenic jointly with the Five Wounds of Christ at St Machar’s Cathedral. Banchory-Devenick Church 📸Andrew Wood #medievalsky
The perfect coat does not exi—
November 12, 2025 at 8:46 PM
The perfect coat does not exi—
A C7th gilt-bronze sword pommel was discovered by detectorist John Sutton at Melton, near Hull, East Yorkshire, #OTD in 1997. 📸East Riding Museums #medievalsky
November 12, 2025 at 9:02 AM
A C7th gilt-bronze sword pommel was discovered by detectorist John Sutton at Melton, near Hull, East Yorkshire, #OTD in 1997. 📸East Riding Museums #medievalsky
Siward of Northumbria was among the earls Harthacnut dispatched to Worcester #OTD in 1041 after two of the English king’s tax collectors had been slain there. Many of the residents had fled in advance but, undeterred, the earls ravaged both town and shire. 📸British Museum #medievalsky
November 12, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Siward of Northumbria was among the earls Harthacnut dispatched to Worcester #OTD in 1041 after two of the English king’s tax collectors had been slain there. Many of the residents had fled in advance but, undeterred, the earls ravaged both town and shire. 📸British Museum #medievalsky
Ælfric Puttoc, archbishop of York, received the pallium from Pope John XIX in Rome #OTD in 1026. Ælfric, whose byname means kite/buzzard, seems to have been remembered for his benefactions to Beferlic (Beverley, East Yorkshire). Cynesige succeeded him. 📸Paul Lakin #medievalsky
November 12, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Ælfric Puttoc, archbishop of York, received the pallium from Pope John XIX in Rome #OTD in 1026. Ælfric, whose byname means kite/buzzard, seems to have been remembered for his benefactions to Beferlic (Beverley, East Yorkshire). Cynesige succeeded him. 📸Paul Lakin #medievalsky
Nov 12: Feast of Machar (Mochumma) (C6th), bishop. Irishman who came to Iona with Columba, preached in Mull and later among the Picts of early Aberdeen. The city’s St Machar’s Cathedral used water from his well for baptism. 📸Martyn Gorman #medievalsky
November 12, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Nov 12: Feast of Machar (Mochumma) (C6th), bishop. Irishman who came to Iona with Columba, preached in Mull and later among the Picts of early Aberdeen. The city’s St Machar’s Cathedral used water from his well for baptism. 📸Martyn Gorman #medievalsky
Nov 12: Feast of Liafwine (Lebuin) (†c.775), monk of Hrypis (Ripon). He later preached along the Frisian-Saxon border, in the valley of the IJssel river. With local suport, he oversaw the building of a church and church house at Deventer. 📸acediscovery #medievalsky
November 12, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Nov 12: Feast of Liafwine (Lebuin) (†c.775), monk of Hrypis (Ripon). He later preached along the Frisian-Saxon border, in the valley of the IJssel river. With local suport, he oversaw the building of a church and church house at Deventer. 📸acediscovery #medievalsky
Óláfr Guðrøðsson, Norse king of Dyflin (Dublin), raided Ard Macha (Armagh) #OTD in 933. He joined with Causantín II, king of Alba, and Owain of Strathclyde to fight Æthelstan, king of the English, at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937. Viking Dublin 📸National Museum of Ireland #medievalsky
November 11, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Óláfr Guðrøðsson, Norse king of Dyflin (Dublin), raided Ard Macha (Armagh) #OTD in 933. He joined with Causantín II, king of Alba, and Owain of Strathclyde to fight Æthelstan, king of the English, at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937. Viking Dublin 📸National Museum of Ireland #medievalsky
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records a ‘very backward year for corn and produce of every kind’ in 1089, resulting in many people carrying out the harvest #OTD and even later. #medievalsky
November 11, 2025 at 8:16 AM
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records a ‘very backward year for corn and produce of every kind’ in 1089, resulting in many people carrying out the harvest #OTD and even later. #medievalsky
Guðrøðr (Gothfrith), Norse king of Dublin, raided Armagh #OTD in 921. It was Martinmas Eve, and it would have been filled with people, food and drink. Guðrøðr was briefly king of York before Æthelstan, king of the Anglo-Saxons, drove him out in 927. #medievalsky
November 10, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Guðrøðr (Gothfrith), Norse king of Dublin, raided Armagh #OTD in 921. It was Martinmas Eve, and it would have been filled with people, food and drink. Guðrøðr was briefly king of York before Æthelstan, king of the Anglo-Saxons, drove him out in 927. #medievalsky
Nov 10: Feast of the translation of Willibrord (658-739), archbishop of the Frisians. The Northumbrian’s body was transferred to the monastery of Echternach, Luxembourg, which he founded, #OTD in 739. 📸Iijjccoo #medievalsky
November 10, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Nov 10: Feast of the translation of Willibrord (658-739), archbishop of the Frisians. The Northumbrian’s body was transferred to the monastery of Echternach, Luxembourg, which he founded, #OTD in 739. 📸Iijjccoo #medievalsky
William de St Calais was nominated to succeed the murdered Walcher as bishop of Dunholm (Durham) #OTD in 1080. William’s experience as abbot of St Vincent, Le Mans, in the politically volatile county of Maine, France, made him a smart choice. #medievalsky
November 9, 2025 at 8:11 AM
William de St Calais was nominated to succeed the murdered Walcher as bishop of Dunholm (Durham) #OTD in 1080. William’s experience as abbot of St Vincent, Le Mans, in the politically volatile county of Maine, France, made him a smart choice. #medievalsky
Nov 8: Feast of Gartnait of Kinneddar, Moray, a major ecclesiastical site of northern Pictland. Its box-shrine fragment showing the Old Testament David rending a lion’s jaws, left, has a close parallel in the St Andrews Sarcophagus, right. 📸Historic Environment Scotland #medievalsky
November 8, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Nov 8: Feast of Gartnait of Kinneddar, Moray, a major ecclesiastical site of northern Pictland. Its box-shrine fragment showing the Old Testament David rending a lion’s jaws, left, has a close parallel in the St Andrews Sarcophagus, right. 📸Historic Environment Scotland #medievalsky
Ælberht, archbishop of York, died #OTD in 779/80. He established a curriculum at the minster school which, in its range, was the envy of Europe. He mentored Alcuin, who travelled to Rome to collect the pallium for Ælberht’s successor, Eanbald I. 📸Paul Lakin #medievalsky
November 8, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Ælberht, archbishop of York, died #OTD in 779/80. He established a curriculum at the minster school which, in its range, was the envy of Europe. He mentored Alcuin, who travelled to Rome to collect the pallium for Ælberht’s successor, Eanbald I. 📸Paul Lakin #medievalsky