Beorhthelm of Stafford

St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley

Beorhthelm (also Bertelin, Bertram and Bettelin) was an Anglo-Saxon saint about whom the only evidence is legendary. He is said to have had a hermitage on the island of Bethnei, which later became the town of Stafford. Later he went to a more hilly area, possibly near Ilam, where he died.[1] Beorhthelm (Bertram) of Stafford is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Church, with a feast day on 10 August.[2]

## Name

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Beorhthelm's name appears in a very wide range of spellings, partly reflecting scribal error, partly folk-etymological identification with other names prominent in Christian tradition, such as Bartholomew.[3]: 65–66 Jane Crawford concluded that his name was either Bertelm or Bertelin.[3]: 66 More recently, John Blair has preferred the former option, using the standardised Old English spelling Beorhthelm.[4] Nonetheless, some scholars stick with the spelling Bertellin this is used in the Life of this saint.[5]

## Early sources

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An early-eleventh-century Anglo-Saxon litany mentions a confessor as 'Sancte Byrhthelm', while a list of saints' resting-places put together by Hugh Candidus in Peterborough in the twelfth century and is thought to have drawn on earlier sources places 'sanctus Berthelmus martyr' in 'Stefford'.[5]: 10 Several churches were dedicated to him in the Middle Ages, and Alan Thacker has argued that these dedications date back to the tenth century, though the evidence is only circumstantial.[5]: 10–11

## Hagiography

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The earliest account of Beorhtelm's life is a Vita Bertellini, found in the Nova Legenda Angliae printed in 1516 by Wynkyn de Worde, but scholars agree that this is based on a lost manuscript and that the text as we have it originated around the twelfth century.[5]: 14–17 Bertram is said to have lived some time in the eighth century. The son of a Mercian king, he was a friend and pupil of Saint Guthlac. After Guthlac's death around 715, Beorthelm established a hermitage on the peninsula named Betheney.[6] This account shows the conflation with the story of Beorhthelm with that of Beccel, a minor character in the Vita sancti Guthlaci (added into the account of Bertram via a now-lost adaptation of the Vita composed by Peter of Blois in the twelfth century).[5]: 10 Bertram is said to have converted many to Christianity, and reputedly was able to work miraculous cures through his prayers. The ill-will of jealous detractors led him to relocate to Ilam, in Dovedale, Derbyshire, where he eventually died.[7] The most unusual miracle in this vita is the following story (as translated by Lindy Brady):[5]: 5–6

> Bertellin, of pious, royal, and English descent, noble in lineage and appearance, even nobler in his orthodox faith, not wanting to stain his life with the wantonness of his father, he crossed the sea. And after he had stayed with a certain Irish king, he earned the favour of his affection more than any other man. But since for the sake of greater future penance, our Father—you who are in heaven—sometimes does not prevent some men from sinning, Bertellin was pierced by love for the king’s daughter, and he carried her off into a part of England since she was pregnant. (I mention this so that sinners will be familiar with the cause of his miraculous penance.) When they were hiding in the thick woods, as you might expect, behold! the time for giving birth appeared, then the end to the pain, and a river of grief followed for them. Oh, how mournful is childbirth! When Bertellin was seeking out the necessary aid of a midwife, the woman, together with her newborn, died in the teeth of wolves.)

This scene is thought to be depicted on the medieval fonts of the Church of the Holy Cross in Ilam, Staffordshire, and of Tissington church.[5]: 11–14

## Veneration

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His shrine is in the Church of the Holy Cross, Ilam,[8] and became a point of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages,

He is the patron saint of Stafford.[9] There are some remains of the medieval shrine of St Beorhthelm near the west end of St Mary's Collegiate Church in Stafford.[10]

The priory of Augustinian canons founded in 1115 on the south bank of the River Mersey at Runcorn, Cheshire, initially dedicated to Beorhthelm, was adopted from the dedication to him of a Saxon church already existing on the site. This priory was the predecessor of Norton Priory.[11]

In Barthomley, now in Cheshire, there stands the only church dedicated to the saint, St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley.

## Identity with St Bertelme of Fécamp

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Some modern sources speak of a St Bertelme of Fécamp, understood to be a different saint from St Beorhthelm. Lindy Brady, however, has shown that this figure is in fact St Beorhthelm himself, who was duplicated by scholarly confusion over the spelling of his name.[12]

## Sources

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* Bowkett, L.C. (1986) The Stafford Hinterland – An archaeological review from the Roman Invasion to circa 850 AD[13]

## References

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1. ^ Greenslade, M. W., ed. (1970). "Religious houses: Introduction". A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 3. Victoria County History. Published for the Institute of Historical Research by Oxford University Press. pp. 135–139. ISBN 0-19-722732-5. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
2. ^ "Saint Bettelin". Catholicsaints.info. 22 May 2010.
3. ^ a b Jane Crawford, 'St Bertellin of Stafford', The Downside Review, vol. 86, issue 282 (January 1968), 56-67. doi:10.1177/001258066808628206
4. ^ John Blair, ‘A Saint for Every Minster? Local Cults in Anglo-Saxon England’, in Local Saints and Local Churches in the Early Medieval West, ed. by Alan Thacker and Richard Sharpe (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002), pp. 455–94 (p. 473).
5. ^ a b c d e f g Lindy Brady, 'An Analogue to Wulf and Eadwacer in the Life of St Bertellin of Stafford', The Review of English Studies, vol. 67, issue 278 (February 2016), 1–20, doi:10.1093/res/hgv126.
6. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Stafford" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 757.
7. ^ "In Touch with the Past | Stafford Borough Council". Staffordbc.gov.uk.
8. ^ Historic England. "Church of the Holy Cross, Ilam (1038155)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
9. ^ "About the Borough". Stafford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
10. ^ Betjeman, John, ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches: the North. London: Collins; p. 255
11. ^ Greene, J. Patrick (1989). Norton Priory: the archaeology of a medieval religious house. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–3. ISBN 0-521-33054-8.
12. ^ Lindy Brady, 'St. Bertelme of Fécamp: St. Bertellin of Stafford by Another Name', Notes and Queries, 63 (2016), 194-96; doi:10.1093/notesj/gjw085.
13. ^ L C Bowkett (1986). "The Stafford Hinterland – An archaeological review from the Roman Invasion to circa 850 AD" (PDF). Ads.ahds.ac.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2022.

* v
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Saints of Anglo-Saxon England

British / Welsh|

* Aldate of Oxford
* Barloc of Norbury
* Brannoc of Braunton
* Branwalator of Milton
* Credan of Bodmin
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* Dachuna of Bodmin
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* Samson of Dol
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East Anglian|

* Æthelberht of East Anglia
* Æthelburh of Faremoutiers
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* Tancred of Thorney
* Torthred of Thorney
* Tova of Thorney
* Walstan of Bawburgh
* Wendreda
* Wihtburh of Ely
* Wulfric of Holme

East Saxon|

* Æthelburh of Barking
* Hildelith of Barking
* Osgyth
* Sæbbi of London

Frisian,
Frankish
and Old Saxon|

* Balthild of Romsey
* Bertha of Kent
* Felix of Dommoc
* Helier of Jersey
* Grimbald of St Bertin
* Monegunda of Watton
* Odwulf of Evesham
* Wulfram of Grantham

Irish and Scottish|

* Aidan of Lindisfarne
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* Echa of Crayke
* Ultan the Scribe
* Indract of Glastonbury
* Maildub of Malmesbury

Kentish|

* Æbbe of Thanet (Domne Eafe)
* Æthelberht of Kent
* Æthelburh of Kent
* Æthelred of Kent
* Albinus of Canterbury
* Berhtwald of Canterbury
* Deusdedit of Canterbury
* Edburga of Minster-in-Thanet
* Eanswith of Folkestone
* Eormengyth of Thanet
* Mildrith of Thanet
* Nothhelm of Canterbury
* Sigeburh of Thanet

Mercian|

* Ælfnoth of Stowe
* Ælfthryth of Crowland
* Æthelberht of Bedford
* Æthelmod of Leominster
* Æthelred of Mercia
* Æthelwynn of Sodbury
* Aldwyn of Coln
* Beonna of Breedon
* Beorhthelm of Stafford
* Coenwulf of Mercia
* Cotta of Breedon
* Credan of Evesham
* Cyneburh of Castor
* Cyneburh of Gloucester
* Cynehelm of Winchcombe
* Cyneswith of Peterborough
* Eadburh of Bicester
* Eadburh of Pershore
* Eadburh of Southwell
* Eadgyth of Aylesbury
* Eadweard of Maugersbury
* Ealdgyth of Stortford
* Earconwald of London
* Egwin of Evesham
* Freomund of Mercia
* Frithuric of Breedon
* Frithuswith of Oxford
* Frithuwold of Chertsey
* Hæmma of Leominster
* Merefin
* Mildburh of Wenlock
* Mildgyth
* Mildrith of Thanet
* Milred of Worcester
* Oda of Canterbury
* Oswald of Worcester
* Osburh of Coventry
* Regenhere of Northampton
* Rumbold of Buckingham
* Tibba of Ryhall
* Werburgh of Chester
* Wærstan
* Wigstan of Repton
* Wulfhild of Barking

Northumbrian|

* Acca of Hexham
* Æbbe "the Elder" of Coldingham
* Æbbe "the Younger" of Coldingham
* Ælfflæd of Whitby
* Ælfwald of Northumbria
* Æthelburh of Hackness
* Æthelgyth of Coldingham
* Æthelsige of Ripon
* Æthelwold of Farne
* Æthelwold of Lindisfarne
* Alchhild of Middleham
* Alchmund of Hexham
* Alkmund of Derby
* Balthere of Tyningham
* Beda of Jarrow
* Bega of Copeland
* Benedict Biscop
* Bercthun of Beverley
* Billfrith of Lindisfarne
* Bosa of York
* Botwine of Ripon
* Ceadda of Lichfield
* Cedd of Lichfield
* Ceolfrith of Monkwearmouth
* Ceolwulf of Northumbria
* Cuthbert of Durham
* Dryhthelm of Melrose
* Eadberht of Lindisfarne
* Eadfrith of Leominster
* Eadfrith of Lindisfarne
* Eadwine of Northumbria
* Ealdberht of Ripon
* Eanmund
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* Eata of Hexham
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* Eoda
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* Hyglac
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* John of Beverley
* Osana of Howden
* Osthryth of Bardney
* Oswald of Northumbria
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* Sicgred of Ripon
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* Wilfrith II
* Wilgils of Ripon

Roman|

* Augustine of Canterbury
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* Birinus of Dorchester
* Blaise
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* Honorius of Canterbury
* James the Deacon
* Justus of Canterbury
* Laurence of Canterbury
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* Paulinus of York
* Peter of Canterbury
* Theodore of Canterbury

South Saxon|

* Cuthflæd of Lyminster
* Cuthmann of Steyning
* Lewina of Bishopstone

West Saxon|

* Æbbe of Abingdon
* Ælfgar of Selwood
* Ælfgifu of Exeter
* Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury
* Ælfheah of Canterbury
* Ælfheah of Winchester
* Æthelflæd of Romsey
* Æthelgar of Canterbury
* Æthelnoth of Canterbury
* Æthelwine of Athelney
* Æthelwold of Winchester
* Aldhelm of Sherborne
* Benignus of Glastonbury
* Beocca of Chertsey
* Beorhthelm of Shaftesbury
* Beornstan of Winchester
* Beornwald of Bampton
* Centwine of Wessex
* Cuthburh of Wimborn
* Cwenburh of Wimborne
* Dunstan of Canterbury
* Eadburh of Winchester
* Eadgar of England
* Eadgyth of Polesworth
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* Eadweard the Confessor
* Eadweard the Martyr
* Eadwold of Cerne
* Earmund of Stoke Fleming
* Edor of Chertsey
* Evorhilda
* Frithestan of Winchester
* Hædde of Winchester
* Humbert of Stokenham
* Hwita of Whitchurch Canonicorum
* Mærwynn of Romsey
* Margaret of Dunfermline
* Swithhun of Winchester
* Wulfsige of Sherborne
* Wulfthryth of Wilton

Unclear origin|

* Arilda of Oldbury
* Juthwara of Sherbourne
* Rumbold of Mechlin
* Urith of Chittlehampton

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