Plegmund

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Plegmund was Archbishop of Canterbury from 890 to 914.

Although little is known of the early life of St Plegmund, later Archbishop of Canterbury (890 - 914), he is believed to have lived at Plemstall, Cheshire (on what was at that time an island known as Plegmundeshamm to locals) as a monk hermit, albeit one affiliated to a larger monastic community based either at nearby Chester or possibly near the site of the current church of St Peter's Plemstall. His reputation as a scholar attracted the attention of Ælfræd (or King Alfred the Great) who summoned him to court along with three others renowned for their learning (Wærferth, Bishop of Worcester, Æthelstan and Wærwulf) some time before 887.

Plegmund's election to the Archbishopric is recorded in Manuscript E of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in a Latin sentence: Hic Plegemundus archiepiscopus a Deo et omni populo electus est (‘In this year Plegmund was chosen as Archbishop by God and all the people’).

When Alfred died in 900, Plegmund crowned the king’s son, known as Edward the Elder, whom he continued to serve until his own death in 914. Plegmund was buried in Canterbury Cathedral.

A well associated with Plegmund can be found on Plemstall Lane near to the current site of the fifteenth century church of St Peter's Plemstall.

Religious Posts
Preceded by Ethelred	Archbishop of Canterbury 890–914	Succeeded by Athelm

[edit] References:

http://archaeology.kmatthews.net/cheshire/st_plegmund/index.php

[edit] External links

Parish history including recent photograph of St Plegmund's well:

• http://www.mickletrafford.org.uk/history.html