Hugh of Northwold facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hugh of Northwold
Bishop of Ely
Memorial to Bishop Hugh de Northwold in Ely Cathedral
Elected	c. 3 February 1229
Reign ended	6 August 1254
Predecessor	Geoffrey de Burgo
Successor	William of Kilkenny
Other posts	Abbot of Bury St Edmunds
Orders
Consecration	19 June 1229
Personal details
Died	6 August 1254 Downham Market
Buried	Ely Cathedral
Denomination	Catholic

Hugh of Northwold (died 1254) was an important church leader in medieval England. He served as the Bishop of Ely, a powerful position in the church.

Hugh's Early Life and Becoming a Monk

Hugh was born in a place called Northwold in Norfolk, England. His parents were Peter and Emma. When he was young, in 1202, he decided to become a monk at the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds. Monks are men who dedicate their lives to religious service and often live together in special communities called abbeys.

Becoming an Abbot

In 1213, Hugh was chosen to be the Abbot of Bury St. Edmunds. An abbot is the head of an abbey, like a principal is the head of a school. However, King John of England didn't agree with this choice at first. It took two years, until 1215, for the King to finally accept Hugh as the abbot.

Hugh's Time as Bishop of Ely

Hugh was chosen to be the Bishop of Ely in 1229. A bishop is a senior leader in the Christian church. He was officially made a bishop in June 1229 in Canterbury.

Important Work as Bishop

As bishop, Hugh did many important things:

• He oversaw a lot of building projects.
• He went on special trips for King Henry III of England. These were like diplomatic missions, where he represented the king in other places.
• He even helped escort Eleanor of Provence to England for her marriage to King Henry.
• He was good friends with another important person, Robert Grosseteste.

Hugh also worked hard to make the church's lands (called "estates") bigger and more valuable. He bought new lands and increased the rent on existing properties. He also helped with projects to drain the wet, marshy areas (called "fenlands") around Ely, working with Thorney Abbey.

Building the Ely Cathedral Presbytery

One of Hugh's biggest achievements was building the presbytery of Ely Cathedral. The presbytery is a special part of a church, usually near the altar. This part of the cathedral was built in a style called Early English Gothic, which was very popular at the time. A writer from that period, Matthew Paris, praised Hugh's work.

Even though some parts of the presbytery were changed later, you can still see the original strong supports (called "buttresses") and some of the walls from Hugh's time. The presbytery was built to hold a special shrine for a saint named Etheldreda. A shrine is a holy place where people can honor a saint.

Death and Burial

Hugh of Northwold died on August 6, 1254, in a town called Downham Market. He was buried inside the presbytery he helped build in Ely Cathedral. His tomb is still there today. It is located near the main altar in the northern part of the cathedral's choir area.

Images for kids

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  Memorial to Bishop Hugh de Northwold in Ely Cathedral