Egwin of Evesham

Saint

Egwin

OSB

Scenes from the life of Saint Egwin, St Lawrence's Church, Evesham

Bishop of Worcester
Founder of Evesham
Born| 7th century
Worcester, Mercia
Died| 30 December 717
Evesham Abbey, Mercia
Venerated in| Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
Major shrine| Evesham Abbey
Feast| 30 December
Attributes| bishop holding a fish and a key[1]

Egwin of Evesham[a] (died 30 December 717) was a Benedictine monk and, later, the third Bishop of Worcester in England. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.

## Life[edit]

Egwin was born in Worcester of a noble family, and was a descendant of Mercian kings.[2] He may possibly have been a nephew of King Æthelred of Mercia. Having become a monk, his biographers say that king, clergy, and commoners all united in demanding Egwin's elevation to bishop; but the popularity which led him to the episcopal office dissipated in response to his performance as bishop.[2] He was consecrated bishop after 693.[3]

As a bishop he was known as a protector of orphans and widows and a fair judge. [4] He struggled with the local population over the acceptance of Christian morality, especially Christian marriage and clerical celibacy. Egwin's stern discipline created a resentment which, as King Æthelred was his friend, eventually found its way to his ecclesiastical superiors. He undertook a pilgrimage to Rome to seek vindication from the pope himself. According to a legend, he prepared for his journey by locking shackles on his feet, and throwing the key into the River Avon.

According to one account, as Egwin and his companions were passing through the Alps, they began to thirst. Those among his companions who did not acknowledge the bishop's sanctity asked him mockingly to pray for water as Moses once did in the desert. But others, who did believe in him, rebuked the unbelievers and asked him in a different tone, with true faith and hope. Egwin prostrated himself in prayer. On arising, they saw a pure stream of water gush forth out of the rock.[5]

While he prayed before the tomb of the Apostles in Rome, one of his servants brought him the very key—found in the mouth of a fish that had just been caught in the Tiber.[2] Egwin then released himself from his self-imposed bonds and straight away obtained from the pope an authoritative release from his enemies' obloquy.

Upon his return to England, he founded Evesham Abbey, which became one of the great Benedictine houses of medieval England. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who had reportedly made known to a swineherd named Eof just where a church should be built in her honour.[6]

One of the last important acts of his episcopate was his participation in the first great Council of Clovesho. According to the Benedictine historian, Jean Mabillon, he died on 30 December 720,[2] although his death is generally accepted as having occurred three years earlier on 30 December 717.[3] He died at the abbey he had founded, and his remains were enshrined there.

A hagiography was written by Byrhtferth of Ramsey, a monk at Ramsey Abbey, around 1016.[7] Another Vita Sancti Egwini, was written by Dominic of Evesham, a medieval prior of Evesham Abbey around 1130.[8] His tomb was destroyed, along with the abbey church, at the time of the dissolution of the abbey in 1540.

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Also Ecgwin, Ecgwine and Eegwine

## Citations[edit]

1. ^ Patron Saints Index entry for St Egwin of Worcester Archived 8 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine accessed on 3 November 2007
2. ^ a b c d Macpherson, Ewan. "St. Egwin." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 17 May 2013
3. ^ a b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 223
4. ^ Monks of Ramsgate. "Egwin". Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 22 November 2012
5. ^ Moss, Vladimir. "Saint Egwin of Worcester", Orthodox America
6. ^ Foley, Leonard. Saint of the Day, Lives, Lessons, and Feast, (revised by Pat McCormack), Franciscan Media ISBN 978-0-86716-887-7
7. ^ Lapidge, Michael (2004). "Byrhtferth of Ramsey (fl. c. 986–c. 1016)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4268. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 18 January 2021. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
8. ^ Jennings "Writings" English Historical Review p. 298

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Egwin". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

## References[edit]

* Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
* Jennings, J. C. (April 1962). "The Writings of Prior Dominic of Evesham". The English Historical Review. 77 (303): 298–304. doi:10.1093/ehr/LXXVII.CCCIII.298.

## Further reading[edit]

* Lapidge, Michael, ed. (2009). Byrhtferth of Ramsey: The Lives of St Oswald and St Ecgwine. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-955078-4.

## External links[edit]

* Ecgwine 1 at Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England
* The Benedictines of Stanbrook. Saint Egwin and His Abbey of Evesham
* Butler, Alban. The Lives of the Saints, Vol. I, 1866

Christian titles

Preceded by

Oftfor

|  Bishop of Worcester
693–717  | Succeeded by

Wilfrith I

* v
* t
* e

Bishops of Worcester

Early medieval|

* Bosel
* Oftfor
* Egwin of Evesham
* Wilfrith (I)
* Milred
* Waermund
* Tilhere
* Heathured
* Denebeorht
* Heahbeorht
* Ealhhun
* Werferth
* Æthelhun
* Wilfrith (II)
* Koenwald
* Dunstan
* Oswald
* Ealdwulf

High medieval|

* Wulfstan (I)
* Leofsige
* Beorhtheah
* Lyfing
* Ælfric Puttoc
* Lyfing
* Ealdred
* Wulfstan (II)
* Samson
* Theulf
* Simon
* John de Pageham
* Alured
* Roger
* Baldwin of Forde
* William of Northall
* Robert FitzRalph
* Henry de Sully
* John of Coutances
* Mauger
* Randulf of Evesham
* Walter de Gray
* Sylvester
* William de Blois
* Walter de Cantilupe
* Nicholas of Ely
* Godfrey Giffard

Late medieval|

* John St German
* William Gainsborough
* Walter Reynolds
* Walter Maidstone
* Thomas Cobham
* Wulstan Bransford
* Adam Orleton
* Simon Montacute
* Thomas Hemenhale
* Wulstan Bransford
* John of Thoresby
* Reginald Brian
* John Barnet
* William Whittlesey
* William Lenn
* Walter Lyghe
* Henry Wakefield
* Robert Tideman of Winchcombe
* Richard Clifford
* Thomas Peverel
* Philip Morgan
* Thomas Polton
* Thomas Brunce
* Thomas Bourchier
* John Carpenter ("Bishop of Worcester and Westbury")
* John Alcock
* Robert Morton
* Giovanni de' Gigli

Early modern|

* Silvestro de' Gigli
* Girolamo Ghinucci
* Hugh Latimer
* John Bell
* Nicholas Heath
* John Hooper, Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester
* Nicholas Heath
* Richard Pate
* Edwin Sandys
* Nicholas Bullingham
* John Whitgift
* Edmund Freke
* Richard Fletcher
* Thomas Bilson
* Gervase Babington
* Henry Parry
* John Thornborough
* John Prideaux
* Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth)
* George Morley
* John Gauden
* John Earle
* Robert Skinner
* Walter Blandford
* James Fleetwood
* William Thomas
* Edward Stillingfleet
* William Lloyd
* John Hough
* Isaac Maddox
* James Johnson
* Brownlow North
* Richard Hurd

Late modern|

* Folliott Cornewall
* Robert Carr
* Henry Pepys
* Henry Philpott
* John Perowne
* Charles Gore
* Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs
* Ernest Pearce
* Arthur Perowne
* William Wilson Cash
* Mervyn Charles-Edwards
* Robin Woods
* Philip Goodrich
* Peter Selby
* John Inge

* v
* t
* e

Saints of Anglo-Saxon England

British / Welsh|

* Aldate of Oxford
* Barloc of Norbury
* Brannoc of Braunton
* Branwalator of Milton
* Credan of Bodmin
* Congar of Congresbury
* Dachuna of Bodmin
* Decuman of Watchet
* Elfin of Warrington
* Ivo of Ramsey
* Judoc of Winchester
* Melorius of Amesbury
* Nectan of Hartland
* Neot of Cornwall
* Patrick of Glastonbury
* Rumon of Tavistock
* Samson of Dol
* Sativola of Exeter

East Anglian|

* Æthelberht of East Anglia
* Æthelburh of Faremoutiers
* Æthelflæd of Ramsey
* Æthelthryth of Ely
* Æthelwine of Lindsey
* Athwulf of Thorney
* Blida of Martham
* Botwulf of Thorney
* Cissa of Crowland
* Cuthbald of Peterborough
* Eadmund of East Anglia
* Eadnoth of Ramsey
* Guthlac of Crowland
* Herefrith of Thorney
* Hiurmine of Blythburgh
* Huna of Thorney
* Pega of Peakirk
* Seaxburh of Ely
* 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
* Boisil of Melrose
* 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
* Eardwulf of Northumbria
* Eata of Hexham
* Ecgberht of Ripon
* Eoda
* Eosterwine of Monkwearmouth
* Hilda of Whitby
* Hyglac
* Iwig of Wilton
* John of Beverley
* Osana of Howden
* Osthryth of Bardney
* Oswald of Northumbria
* Oswine of Northumbria
* Sicgred of Ripon
* Sigfrith of Monkwearmouth
* Tatberht of Ripon
* Wihtberht of Ripon
* Wilfrith of Hexham
* Wilfrith II
* Wilgils of Ripon

Roman|

* Augustine of Canterbury
* Firmin of North Crawley
* Birinus of Dorchester
* Blaise
* Florentius of Peterborough
* Hadrian of Canterbury
* Honorius of Canterbury
* Justus of Canterbury
* Laurence of Canterbury
* Mellitus of Canterbury
* Paulinus of York
* 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
* Eadgyth of Wilton
* 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

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Poland

7th- and 8th-century Bishop of Worcester and saint
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