History Pre-Norman Conquest

Before the Norman Conquest

Before 612

Welsh Saint Dubricious founds a monastery south of the river Wye

676

Putta arrives from Rochester diocese (for generations it has been thought to be the 1st Bishop of Hereford. Now this seems unlikely).

700-800 

Hereford Gospels written in or near the 8th century Wales

760

Battle of Hereford between the Welsh & the Saxon Kingdom of Mercia. The Welsh win.

799

Bishop Wulfheard is 1st bishop to call himself Bishop of Hereford.

794

Bishop Ethelbert was murdered by King Offa.

910

Acorns start to grow from which the oak timbers in the current Bishop’s palace are built.

926

King of the Anglo Saxons, Athelstan summoned the Welsh to impose tribute on them for using the ford across the Wye just south of the present palace.

1012

+ Athelstan starts to rebuild the cathedral, but it is burnt by the Welsh Grffydd ap Llewelyn who plunders the city, both castle & cathedral are burnt

Edward the Confessor commissions Earl Harold to fortify Hereford against future raids

1056

Saxon warrior Bishop Leofgar, with a moustache, leads revenge on the Welsh but he is killed in battle, along with the sheriff.

1056-1070

 

The Saxon Palace lies empty and the diocese is administered by Worcester.

1061-79

Bishop Walter. Hereford Castle was attacked by the Welsh and a Mercian landowner Eadric the Wild.

 
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