Liudhard

Liudhard
Replica of the medalet that depicts Liudhard.
Seeunspecified see in Kent
Term endedafter 600 AD

Liudhard (Old English: Lēodheard; modern French: Létard, also Letard in English) was a Frankish bishop of Senlis in the late 6th century.

Life

In Frankia, Liudhard served as bishop of Senlis and as confessor and chaplain to Bertha of Kent. Upon her marriage to Æthelberht of Kent in c. 580 CE, Liudhard moved with Bertha to Canterbury, where he established her personal chapel, the first Anglo-Saxon Christian church in England, St Martin's, which is the oldest church in continuous use in the English-speaking world.

Liudhard is believed to have died soon after the arrival of Augustine with the Gregorian mission in 597 CE and was initially buried in St Martin's Church, Canterbury, but Archbishop Laurence of Canterbury had his remains removed and buried in the Abbey Church of St Peter and St Paul in the early 7th century. He was regarded locally as a saint, and Goscelin recounts the story of a miracle he performed to help the 11th-century artist and abbot Spearhafoc, who, in thanks, adorned Liudhard's tomb with statues "of enormous size and beauty" depicting Liudhard himself and Queen Bertha.

According to Goscelin, while Spearhafoc was working on metal figures at St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, he lost a valuable ring given him by Edward the Confessor's queen, Edith of Wessex, presumably as materials to use in his project. In his distress, he prayed to Liudhard, after which the ring was found. In gratitude, he adorned Liudhard's tomb with the statues. From other mentions, such a description would mean the statues were at least approaching life-size. Also, according to Goscelin and William of Malmesbury, Liudhard "was especially good at speedily responding to appeals for rain," for which purpose his remains would be carried in procession to the fields.

A coin or "medalet", known as the Liudhard medalet, bearing his name, was found in the 19th century in a grave in Canterbury, and is the earliest Anglo-Saxon coin, though it may not have been used as money in the usual way. The design is based on contemporary Continental coins, but has unusual features.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "St. Lethard, Bishop of Senlis, Confessor", Butler, Alban. The Lives of the Saints. Volume I: January, 1866
  2. ↑ Malam, John (2019). Christian Sites. Raintree Publishers. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-4747-5419-4.
  3. ↑ Dodwell:58, who seems to contradict himself here as to whether this was before or after Spearhafoc became abbot, saying it was "Some time before 1047" but that he was already abbot.
  4. ↑ Dodwell:213–216
  5. ↑ William of Malmesbury, The Deeds of the Bishops of England, Chapter 2. google books
  6. ↑ Wernher, 29

Sources