Simon de Wedale facts for kids

Simon de Wedale was an important church leader in the 1300s. He was a type of priest called an Augustinian canon. He became the Abbot of Holyrood Abbey and later the Bishop of Galloway. Not much is known about Simon's early life. We first hear about him around 1321. At that time, he had just become the Abbot of Holyrood Abbey. This abbey was a large church and monastery near Edinburgh, Scotland.

Becoming a Bishop

In 1326, Simon de Wedale was chosen to become the new Bishop of Galloway. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in the church. He took over after the previous bishop, Thomas de Kirkcudbright, passed away.

Simon's election was approved by the Archbishop of York in December 1326. The Archbishop of York was a very important church leader, like a main bishop for that area. This approval meant Simon could officially become a bishop.

His special ceremony, called a consecration, happened on February 1, 1327. It took place in Westminster, England. Three other bishops helped with the ceremony. A few days later, Simon promised to obey the Archbishop of York.

Life as a Bishop

Simon de Wedale served as Bishop of Galloway for 19 years. We don't know many details about his time as bishop.

In 1331, he gave the local church in Crossmichael to Sweetheart Abbey. This was another important religious house. Simon might have attended a special meeting called a parliament in 1334. This meeting was led by King Edward Balliol.

In 1335, King Edward III of England gave Bishop Simon a special "protection." This was a document that kept him safe. Simon is also mentioned in a document from Holyrood Abbey in 1345. In 1347, he helped decide how money from the church in Buittle should be shared. This money, called tithes, supported the church and its priests.

Bishop Simon de Wedale passed away on March 11, 1355. Before he died, the King of France, John II, asked the Pope for a special blessing for Simon. This blessing was granted by Pope Innocent IV in 1354.

Discovering His Remains

Between 1957 and 1967, archaeologists dug up Whithorn Priory. This was an old church building. They found the remains of several important church leaders. At the time, no one knew who these people were.

Later, in 2007, new research helped identify six of these bishops. Simon de Wedale was one of them! Scientists studied the bones and items found in the graves. They learned that these church leaders ate good food, like meat and fish. They likely came from southern Scotland or a place called Cumbria.

In Simon's grave, they found some amazing things. There was a fancy staff called a crozier. It was made of gold and decorated with colorful enamel. They also found silver cups used in church services. There were even fancy threads and shiny pieces from a special hat.