Council of Austerfield facts for kids

The Council of Austerfield was an important church meeting held in a place called Austerfield, in the southern part of the old kingdom of Northumbria. This meeting took place around the years 702 or 703.

Why Was the Council of Austerfield Held?

This big meeting was called by King Aldfrith of Northumbria. The main reason for it was to decide the future of a powerful church leader named Wilfrid. Wilfrid had been removed from his important job as the Bishop of York back in 686.

Wilfrid didn't agree with this decision, so he asked the Pope (the head of the Catholic Church) for help around the year 700. Pope Sergius I decided that the people in Britain should sort out the problem themselves. Because of this, King Aldfrith called the Council of Austerfield to discuss Wilfrid's case.

When Did the Council Happen?

Historians have worked out the date of the council from a few clues. It happened about 22 years after Wilfrid was first removed from York. Also, Wilfrid had been a bishop for almost 40 years when this meeting took place. These clues suggest the council happened just before the year 704.

Where Was Austerfield?

The old records describe the meeting place as in campo qui Eostrefeld dicitur or in campo qui dicitur Oustraefelda. This means "in the field called Eostrefeld" or "in the field called Oustraefelda."

Most experts believe the council was held in the village of Austerfield near Bawtry in South Yorkshire. This area used to be part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Another possible place was Nosterfield near Ripon. However, Austerfield is more likely because Nosterfield wasn't mentioned in writings until much later, in the 1200s.

Who Attended the Council?

The Council of Austerfield was led by Berhtwald, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. This was a very important gathering, and many key people from the Anglo-Saxon church were there.

• Bishops: Church leaders from all over Britain attended, both from Northumbria and the southern kingdoms.
• Abbots: Leaders of monasteries were also present.
• Wilfrid's Supporters: Wilfrid himself came with several priests and deacons.
• Laymen: Important non-church people were there too, including King Aldfrith and some of his noblemen, called thegns.

What Happened at the Council?

We know about the council mostly from a book called Vita Sancti Wilfrithi, written by Wilfrid's friend, Stephen of Ripon.

King Aldfrith and Archbishop Berhtwald did not want Wilfrid to return to his old job as Bishop of York. However, Wilfrid had the support of King Æthelred of Mercia, who had given Wilfrid a safe place to stay during his time away. Most of the bishops and abbots at the meeting seemed to be against Wilfrid.

According to Stephen's account, Wilfrid's opponents wanted to take away all his property and church positions. But Archbishop Berhtwald offered a compromise. He suggested that Wilfrid could keep some monasteries but would not be allowed to act as a bishop anymore.

In response, Wilfrid gave a long speech about his entire career in the church. The main problem was that Wilfrid refused to obey Archbishop Berhtwald, who was his superior.

The Council's Decision

The council decided that Wilfrid should remain exiled from York. He was told to go back to the monastery of Ripon and stay there, and he was not to be a bishop anymore. Wilfrid strongly disagreed with this decision and decided to ask the Pope for help again.

What Happened Next?

Eventually, Wilfrid and the archbishop, bishops, and other leaders made peace. This happened at another important meeting called the Council of Nidd in 705, a few years after the Council of Austerfield.