Ælfric Puttoc facts for kids

Ælfric Puttoc (died 22 January 1051) was an important church leader in England a long time ago. He was the Archbishop of York from 1023 until he died in 1051. For a short time, he was also the Bishop of Worcester. Ælfric helped crown some kings, like Edward the Confessor. He also started new religious communities and promoted the story of a saint named John of Beverley.

Becoming an Archbishop

Ælfric first appears in history as a leader at New Minster, Winchester, a church in England. He likely came from the area called Wessex. In 1023, he became the Archbishop of York. This was a very important position in the church.

He was officially made an archbishop by Æthelnoth, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. Canterbury was another very important church center.

In 1026, Ælfric traveled all the way to Rome. He went there to receive his pallium from Pope John XIX. A pallium is a special woollen band given by the Pope to archbishops. It shows their authority and connection to the Pope. Ælfric was the first Archbishop of York to go to Rome in person for this.

During the reign of King Cnut of England, Ælfric received a large piece of land called Patrington. King Cnut and his wife Emma of Normandy gave him this land.

Working with Kings

Ælfric was involved in the politics of his time. In 1036, he might have been the bishop who crowned Harold Harefoot as the King of England. This was because the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, Æthelnoth, supported Harold's rival.

Later, when Harthacnut became king, Ælfric supported him. Ælfric was even sent with others to move Harold Harefoot's body.

For a short time in 1040, Ælfric also became the Bishop of Worcester. The previous bishop, Lyfing, had faced some trouble. However, Ælfric was only Bishop of Worcester for about a year. Lyfing was given his position back in 1041.

Ælfric also played a role in the coronation of Edward the Confessor. He helped Archbishop Edsige of Canterbury crown Edward at Winchester on April 3, 1043.

Church Work and Legacy

Ælfric did a lot for the church during his time as archbishop. In 1037, he moved the holy items of John of Beverley to a new, special place in Beverley. He worked hard to make John of Beverley more famous as a saint. He did this by building new church buildings and giving money to the church.

He also continued the work of the archbishop before him. He helped set up new communities for canons in his area. Canons are a type of priest who live together under certain rules.

A very old record says that Ælfric created special jobs at Beverley. These jobs included the sacristan, who looked after the church's sacred items, the chancellor, who handled legal matters, and the precentor, who led the singing.

Ælfric died on January 22, 1051, in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. He was buried at Peterborough Cathedral. Some people, like a writer named William of Malmesbury, didn't always agree with Ælfric. But the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, another old record, called him "very venerable and wise."

Ælfric left his special church clothes and altar to Peterborough Abbey. His nickname, "Puttoc," probably means "kite" or "buzzard," which are types of birds. It's thought that this nickname might have been given to him by monks at Worcester.

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