Diocesan Bishops of Sherborne
The Anglo-Saxon Diocese of Sherborne was established by Saint Aldhelm in about 705 and comprised the counties of Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Cornwall. The diocese lost territory on the creation of the bishopric of Cornwall in the early 800s, and lost further territory on the creation of the bishoprics of Wells and Crediton by Plegmund, Archbishop of Canterbury in 909.
In 1058, the bishoprics of Sherborne and Ramsbury became to be held together under Bishop Herman. Nine years after the Norman conquest, the Council of London enacted in 1075 that episcopal sees should be removed to cities or larger towns. Accordingly, Sherborne and Ramsbury were formally united into one diocese, and its see was removed to Old Sarum, because it was both a centre of communications and a city with a royal castle. The see remained at Old Sarum until it was removed to New Sarum (Salisbury) in 1220.
| List of Diocesan Bishops of Sherborne | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| c. 705 | 709 | Saint Aldhelm | Also Abbot of Malmesbury. |
| 709 | ? 737 | Forthhere | Also recorded as Fordhere. Possibly resigned the see in 737. |
| 736 | 766 x 774 | Herewald | |
| 766 x 774 | 789 x 794 | Æthelmod | |
| 793 | 796 x 801 | Denefrith | |
| 793 x 801 | 816 x 825 | Wigberht | Also recorded as Wigheorht. |
| 816 x 825 | 867 | Eahlstan | Also recorded as Alfstan. |
| 867 or 868 | 871 | Saint Heahmund | Also recorded as Saint Hamund. |
| 871 x 877 | 879 x 889 | Æthelheah | |
| 879 x 889 | 890 x 900 | Wulfsige I | |
| 890 x 900 | 909 | Asser | Also recorded as John Asser or Asserius Menevensis. |
| c. 909 | c. 909 | Æthelweard | |
| c. 909 | 918, or 909 x 925 | Wærstan | |
| 918, or 909 x 925 | 918, or 909 x 925 | Æthelbald | |
| 918, or 909 x 925 | 932 x 934 | Sigehelm | |
| 932 x 934 | 939 x 943 | Alfred | |
| 939 x 943 | 958 x 964 | Wulfsige II | |
| 958 x 964 | 978 | Ælfwold I | |
| 978 or 979 | 991 x 993 | Æthelsige I | |
| ? 993 | 1002 | Wulfsige III | Died in office on 8 January 1002. |
| 1002 | 1011 or 1012 | Æthelric | |
| 1011 or 1012 | c. 1014 | Æthelsige II | |
| 1014 x 1017 | 1014 x 1017 | Brithwine I | |
| 1017 | 1023 | Ælfmaer | Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury. Died in office, possibly on 5 April 1023. |
| 1023 | 1045 | Brihtwine II | Died in office, possibly on 2 June 1045. |
| 1045 | 1058 | Saint Ælfwold II | Venerated as a saint with his Feast day on 25 March. |
| 1058 | 1075 | Herman | Also Bishop of Ramsbury. Became the first Bishop of Salisbury when the sees of Sherborne and Ramsbury were transferred to Salisbury (Old Sarum) in 1075. |
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