Bishop of Ramsbury (ancient) facts for kids

The Bishop of Ramsbury was a special religious leader in Anglo-Saxon England, a bit like a manager for a church area called a diocese. This important title was used by diocesan bishops in the 10th and 11th centuries. The name comes from the village of Ramsbury in Wiltshire. Back in Saxon times, Ramsbury was a very important place for the Church. Some early Bishops of Ramsbury even became the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was the most important church leader in England.

How the Bishopric of Ramsbury Started

The ancient area managed by the Bishop of Ramsbury, called a bishopric, was created in the year 909. This happened when Plegmund, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, decided to divide two large church areas in West Saxon England into five smaller ones. The areas of Wiltshire and Berkshire were taken from the Winchester bishopric to form the new Ramsbury diocese. Sometimes, people also called it the bishopric of Ramsbury and Sonning.

In 1058, the Ramsbury bishopric joined with the bishopric of Sherborne. Together, they formed a new, larger area called the diocese of Sarum, which is now known as Salisbury. The main church for this new diocese moved to Old Sarum in 1075.

Important Bishops of Ramsbury

Many important bishops served in Ramsbury before the area joined with Sherborne. These leaders played a big role in the early English Church.

• Aethelstan was the very first Bishop of Ramsbury, serving from 909 to 927.
• Saint Oda of Canterbury became bishop in 927. He was later chosen to be the Archbishop of Canterbury in 942, a very high honor.
• Sigeric the Serious was another Bishop of Ramsbury who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury in 990.
• Saint Ælfric of Abingdon was also a Bishop of Ramsbury. He became Archbishop of Canterbury in 995 but continued to look after Ramsbury until he passed away in 1005.
• Herman was the last Bishop of Ramsbury. He served from 1045. In 1058, he also became the Bishop of Sherborne. Herman was the one who moved both of these church areas to Old Sarum in 1075, creating the new Diocese of Sarum.

Modern Titles of Ramsbury

Even though the original bishopric of Ramsbury ended in 1075, the name is still used today!

Since 1974, the Bishop of Ramsbury is a special kind of bishop called a suffragan see within the Diocese of Salisbury. A suffragan bishop helps the main bishop of a larger area.

There is also a special title in the Roman Catholic Church called Bishop of Ramsbiria. This is a titular see, which means it's a title given to a bishop who doesn't manage a specific area but holds the historical name. Ramsbiria is the Latin name for Ramsbury.