The See of Hexham was founded in the year 681 by Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury — the Archbishop of all England, 668–690, at a Synod held at York, and its episcopal jurisdiction lay over the district between the rivers Alne and Tees. It remained in existence for about 139 years, during which twelve prelates ruled in succession, seven of whom are entered as saints in the Church Calendar.
The following is a list of the Bishops of Hexham with the chief events in their careers and episcopates:—
Trumbriht, consecrated 681, deposed 683, was Abbot of Gilling, in Yorkshire, in 681; consecrated Bishop of Hexham by Archbishop Theodore at York, 681; deposed for some act of disobedience, 683. On Trumbriht's deposition the See of Hexham was vacant tor a year, 683–684.
Eata, translated from Lindisfarne, April, 685; died 26th October, 685; was a native of Northumbria; one of the twelve English boys selected and educated by Aidan, first Bishop of Lindisfarne, 634–651; was a monk of Lindisfarne; Abbot of Melrose 651–664; Abbot of Ripon 660–661; Abbot of Lindisfarne 664–678; Bishop of Bernicia 678–681; Bishop of Lindisfarne 681–685; Bishop of Hexham 685–685; died of dysentery at Hexham, 26th October, 685; buried at Hexham over against the sacristy, on the south side of St Andrew's Cathedral, where a small stone Chapel was afterwards raised to his memory — “A man most reverend,” and “of all men the most holy” (Bede). He was afterwards canonized or raised to the dignity of a saint as a confessor, his festival being the anniversary of his death — October 26.
On Eata's death, the See of Hexham was vacant for nearly two years, during which Wilfrid, Bishop of York, administered the episcopal government.
John, consecrated 25th August, 687; translated to York 705; was born in Yorkshire; a pupil of Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, 668–690; was a monk of Whitby, in 687; Bishop of Hexham 687–705, Bishop of York 705–718; resigned his see and retired to his monastery of Beverley, which he founded in 692; died at Beverley 7th May, 721; buried at Beverley. “One of the best and holiest of Yorkshire sons” (Ornsby). Was canonized in 1037 as St John of Beverley, his festival being the anniversary of his death; was a great friend of the Venerable Bede, whom he ordained deacon in 691, and priest in 702.
Wilfrid, appointed 705, died 12th October, 709, was born in Northumbria 634; was a pupil at Lindisfarne under Bishop Aidan, 648–651; a resident at the Court of Ercombert, King of Kent, 652–653; accompanied Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth and Jarrow, to the Continent, 654; was a resident at Lyons with Archbishop Delphinus, 654–655; resident at Rome, 655–656; resident at Lyons (a second time), 656–658; returned to England, 658; was Abbot of Ripon, 661–664; was present at Synod of Whitby, 664; elected Bishop of the Northumbrians, 664: consecrated at Paris, 665; returned to England, 666, to find that Chad had been consecrated Bishop of York; retired to Ripon, 666; exercised episcopal administration over vacant See of Canterbury, 667–669; restored to his See as Bishop of York, 669, which he held until 678; repaired York Cathedral, 670; built Ripon Church, 670; built St Andrew's Church, St Peter's Church, and a Monastery at Hexham, 674–678; See of York split into four by Archbishop Theodore, 678; and Wilfrid, resenting the act, was deposed; appealed to Rome, 678–680; preached in Friesland and Austrasia, 678–679; resident at Rome, 679–680; returned to England, 680; imprisoned by Egfrid, King of Northumbria, at Bromnis and Dunbar, 680–681; released and banished from Northumbria, 681; was a Missionary Bishop in Sussex, 681–686; restored to See of York and monasteries of Hexham and Ripon, 686; administered vacant See of Hexham, 686–687; administered vacant See of Lindisfarne, 687–688; expelled from York, 691; acted as Bishop of Leicester, 692–703; was present at Synod of Nestrefield, 703; started on a third visit and second appeal to Rome, 703; resident at Rome, 704–705; returned to England, 705; was present at Council of Nidd, 705; Bishop of Hexham, 705–709; commenced erection of St Mary's Church, Hexham, 705–709; died at Oundle, Northamptonshire, 12th October, 709; buried in the Church of St Peter at Ripon — “The Star of the Anglo Saxon Church” — was afterwards canonized as a confessor. His festival being the anniversary of his death.
Acca, consecrated 709; driven from his See 733; was a native of Northumbria; a pupil of Bosa, monk of Whitby, 678, and Bishop of York, 678–686 and 691–705; was a companion of Wilfrid during his exile at Rome, 703–705; Abbot of Hexham, 705–709; Bishop of Hexham, 709–733; driven from his See for some unknown cause, 733; died 20th October, 737; buried in Hexham churchyard over against the sanctuary at the east end of the Cathedral, where two memorial crosses (fragments of one of which are preserved in the Cathedral Library at Durham) were erected; was afterwards canonized as a confessor, his festival being the anniversary of his death; was a friend of the Venerable Bede, 673–735; was a good benefactor to Hexham churches.
Fritheberht, consecrated 8th September, 734; died 23rd December, 766; was Bishop of Hexham, 734–766; administered affairs of the See of Lindisfarne during the imprisonment of Cynewulf, the Bishop, by King Eadbert, 750–751; died at Hexham 23rd December, 766; buried at Hexham Cathedral; was afterwards canonized as a confessor, his festival being the anniversary of his death.
Alchmund, consecrated 24th April, 767; died 7th September, 780; was Bishop of Hexham, 767–780; was present at consecration of Higbald, eleventh Bishop of Lindisfarne, at Sockburn, in 779; died at Hexham 7th September, 780; buried at Hexham, outside the walls of the east end of the Cathedral, near his predecessor, Acca. His life was “rich in virtues and goodness” (Raine). He was afterwards canonized as a confessor, his festival being the anniversary of his death.
Tilberht, consecrated 2nd October, 780 died 789, was Bishop of Hexham, 780–789; was present at consecration of Adulf, Bishop of Mayo, at Corbridge, 786; was present at Synod of Finchaldie, 788, and signed the decrees immediately after King Elfwald; died at Hexham, 789; buried in Hexham Cathedral. He was afterwards canonized as a confessor, his festival being March 3, the day on which certain of the early Bishops of Hexham (Acca, Alchmund, Frithebert, and Tidferth) were translated into the Church, 3rd March, 1154.
Ethelberht, translated to Hexham, 789, died 16th October, 797, was Bishop of Candida Casa or Whithern, in Galloway, 777–789; Bishop of Hexham, 789–797; was present at consecration of Badulf, Bishop of Whitherne, 790; was present at Synod of Finchal, 792; was present at coronation of King Eardulf of Northumbria at York, 795; was present at consecration of Eanbald II, Archbishop of York, at Sockburn, 14th August, 796; died at Barton (probably on Tees), 16th October, 797; buried in Hexham Cathedral; was the last of the Hexham Bishops recorded to have been buried there; was a correspondent of Alcuin, the scholarly tutor of Charlemagne, Emperor of Germany.
Eadred, consecrated 30th October, 797, died 800; was Bishop of Hexham, 797–800; was present at Synod of Finchaldie, 798; died 800.
Eanberht, consecrated 800, died 806; was Bishop of Hexham, 800–806; was present at consecration of Egbert, twelfth Bishop of Lindisfarne, at Bywell, 11th June, 803; died 806.
Tidferth, translated to Hexham, 806; driven from his See, 820; was Bishop of Dunwich, 797–806; Bishop of Hexham, 806–820 was present at Synod of Finchaldie, 2nd September, 810; driven from his See by an invasion of the Picts under Angus Macfergus, 820, in which Hexham Churches were spoiled; died at Monkwearmouth, 821, while on his way to Rome; Buried at Monkwearmouth, where a memorial stone, inscribed in Runic characters with his name TIDFIRTH, now in the British Museum, was discovered in 1850. The last of the Bishops of Hexham.
After the invasion of 820, the See of Hexham, owing to the turbulent times which followed, was allowed to become extinct, the diocese from thence being administered by the Bishop of Lindisfarne till 854, when it was divided, the portion north of the Tyne being added to Lindisfarne, and that south of the Tyne to York.
The dates given above are those given in The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle — a contemporary account, and therefore more correct than those given by later historians. The Anglo-Saxon spelling has also been adopted in preference to the Latinized form.