Feast Day - 25th May
Born in the year 639, Aldhelm became a monk at Malmesbury, and later was elected its abbot. When the growing Wessex diocese was divided in 705, he became the first Bishop of Sherborne, founding the abbey church. Aldhelm was a great scholar, teacher and singer who, "by his preaching completed the conquest of Wessex", according to Bede (who is also commemorated on 25th May). Tradition has it that he would attract listeners by his singing and then preach the gospel to them. It seems he may have been responsible for introducing the Rule of St. Benedict to the monasteries of the area. He built churches all over Dorset, and the headland commonly called St. Alban's head is in reality St. Aldhelm's Head, where there is an ancient chapel. His old English verse, sung to harp accompaniment, was praised by King Alfred. Aldhelm died on this day in the year 709 at Doulting in Somerset, on his way to Malmesbury.
Following the creation of the Diocese of Salisbury in the 11th C, the Sherborne bishopric was disbanded. It was revived in the 20th C as a suffragan (assistant) bishopric within the Diocese of Salisbury. This year marks the thirteen hundredth anniversary of the original foundation and in commemoration of Aldhelm's mission many events are planned including a service with the Archbishop of Canterbury at St. Aldhelm's Head on 4th June 2005.