A CELTIC CHRONOLOGY - THE FULL STORY
BCE (BC)
500Celts emerge as distinct race in Central Europe
c.400Celts plunder Rome
55/54Julius Caesar reconnaisance of Britain
CE (AD)
c40?Joseph of Arimathea in Glastonbury
40/50Paul converts the Galatians (Celts)
43Romans invade Britain
60BOUDICCA is military commander of Icenes - leads rebellion
71Romans start moving into Scotland
117Rebellions in the North - Hadrian’s Wall
178IRENAEUS leader of Christian community in Lyon
c180Roman villa near Gloucester with Christian Monograms
200Tertullian writes of ‘places in Britain that have yielded to Christ’
313Conversion of Emperor Constantine; Edict of Milan
314Council of Arles - Bishops of London, York and ?Colchester present
315-373HILARY,Bishop of Poitiers; first Celtic influential churchman
325Athanasius reports that British church accepts decision of Nicaea
c354Birth of PELAGIUS
361Picts and Scots raided as far south as Chester.
c371MARTIN elected Bishop of Tours, founds monastic community
388Emperor Maximus killed; Welsh wife Elen returns to Wales
394PELAGIUS in Rome
397Death of MARTIN
c400Christian Community founded at Whithorn
London: St Etheldrada’s Church, Ely Place, London had a pre-Saxon bowl- shaped font of limestone similar to two at Brecon.
410Sack of Rome by Vandals
Roman army leaves Britain
416Council of Carthage - Pelagius condemned
c418Birth of PATRICK (perhaps in Dumbarton)
c425Birth of ILLTYD
429Sack of Carthage by Vandals
Death of AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
431PALLADIUS sent as Bishop to the Christians in Ireland
435PATRICK in Ireland
444The Church in Rome accepts the Alexandrian
computation of the date of Easter
mid 400’s? The Roman British leader Vortigern encourages the The Anglo Saxons to settle in Kent. The boy Ambrosius, brought to him as a candidate for human sacrifice, reveals miraculous powers, including divination of dragons under a pool. A possible source of the dragon on Welsh flags, and perhaps later turned into Merlin stories. Arthur became ‘The Leader of Battles’ for the Kings of the Britons (Nennius)
The kingdom of Rheged was born out of the years of chaos and famine that followed the withdrawal of the Roman troops. Legend has it that Uther Pendragon was one of the warrior kings who created this celebrated kingdom in the middle of the 5th century. So many places in Cumbria are associated with Uther, his legendary son Arthur, and Arthur’s Druid adviser Merlin, that the myths gain some credence.
By the late 6th century the people were united under the ule of Urien, a Christian warrior who died in battle in 580 at the siege of Lindisfarne
c450NINIAN at Whithorn/Candida Casa
455Birth of BRIGID in Ireland
c 460The Britsh survive a famine and begin a resistance to Saxon, Irish and Pictish invaders , rallying in the mountain areas. (Gildas)
c 468Aesc came from the North and ruled the Anglo Saxons in Kent (Anglo Saxon Chronicle)
c480Birth of BENEDICT in Italy
480’s The Christian Celtic King Urien of Rheged camapaigns against the Northumbrian Angles, in alliance weith Riderch of Strathclyde, Guallauc, and Morcant (Gododdin). He blocaked them three days at Metcaud (Lindisfarne) (Nennius) Morcant plotted his assassination out of jealousy.
c486Birth of SAMSON in Britain
c486Birth of BRENDAN in Ireland
c490Britain attacked by Angles, Saxons, Jutes
493Death of PATRICK
498Kings of Dalriada migrate to Kintyre
Late 5th CILLTYD founds large monastic school at Llantwit Major
505Death of ILLTYD
c 500 ‘The Battle of Badon, in which Arthur carried the Cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ for three days and three nights on his shield and the Britons were the victors’.(Annals of Wales)
c 500 -560 Gildas says Britain enjoyed a time of security.
c 516/7Arther and Medraut (the Mordred of legend) killed in the Battle of Camlann.
Plagues in Britainand Ireland
(Welsh Annals)
Arthur’s body taken to a sacred place (Avalon/Glastonbuty or Orchait on Borders?)
521SAMSON becomes Bishop
Birth of COLUMBA (COLUMCILLE)in Ireland
524Death of BRIGID, Abbess of Kildare
530 - 560Travels of BRENDAN THE VOYAGER
533 Kentigern baptised folk at Calbeck well
c537?Death of ARTHUR at Battle of Canlann
540GILDAS writes The Ruin of Britain
c540DAVID becomes Bishop of Caerleon
543Death of PETROC of Cornwall
543Birth of COLUMBANUS in Ireland
546COLUMBA’s first monastic settlement in Derry
547IDA founds Anglian kingdom of Bernicia with capital at Bamburgh
555 or 7Foundation of Monastery of Bangor by COMGALL
560Death of SAMSON
c561Foundation of Monastery of Clonfert by BRENDAN
C562Foundation of Monastery of Lismore by MOLUAG
c565The monk Gildas ( A southern Briton whom the Irish incited to help restore monastic life there, too) writes his Rule.
565COLUMBA founds monastery on Iona
c 573 Battle of Ardderyd (referred to in Welsh ballads) the Christian King of the Cumbri, Rhyderch of Strathclyde defeated Gwedolen, the pagan Scots king, and brought Kentigern back from Wales to head the church. (80,000 slain)
577Death of BRENDAN
560 - 580North Atlantic Travels of CORMAC
c589Death of DAVID
591COLUMBANUS begins continental mission
565COLUMBA founds monastery on Iona
580Urien, Christian King of Rheged killed at the siege of Lindisfarne
580?Teilo’s death at Llandeilo Fawr
585 to590 a major mission offesnsive to the Lowland Picts was launched from Dunkeld. Columba brought monks from Iona. Moluag brought monks from Lismore and Mortlach. Kentigern brought missionaries fromLlanelwy. Canice (Kenneth) came with his team to found a base at what is now St Andrews.
590 Columbanus leaves Bangor and founds d’Annegray
593-5 Columbanus founds Luxeuil
597Death of COLUMBA, June 9th
AUGUSTINE arrives in Kent, sent by Pope Gregory the Great in mission to Angles
c600The poem ‘Gododdin’ written in British in Edinburgh tells the story of the Celtic warriors’ disastrous attack on the Angles at Catterick.
601Further Roman mission, including PAULINUS
603Conference of British Bishops and Abbots with AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY
603The Scots alliance led by Aidan, King of Scots, who named his son (after?) Arthur, lost against the Angles
by 609Death of AUGUSTINE
613COLUMBANUS founds monastery at Bobbio
614Birth of HILDA
615Death of COLUMBANUS
616EDWIN of Deira defeats ETHELFRITH of Bernicia.
Ethelfrith’s sons (including Oswald) flee to Argyll, educated on Iona.
617EDWIN established as king north of the Humber, uniting Deira and Bernicia.
(NORTHUMBRIA)
618St DONAN killed on Eigg by ?Vikings
624Birth of AMOMNAN, Abbot of Iona, Columba’s biographer
625Marriage of EDWIN of Northumbria and ETHELBURH of Kent; Ethelburh brings Bishop PAULINUS with her to Bamburgh
626EANFLED, daughter of Edwin and Ethelburh, baptised, with twelve others.
627EDWIN converts and is baptised at York. Mass baptisms, including HILDA (now aged 13)
PAULINUS baptising at pagan aristocracy at Yeavering
628Birth of BENEDICT BISCOP
630FURSEYof Ireland founds monastery in East Anglia
633CADWALLON of Gwynned and PENDA OF Mercia attack and kill EDWIN at Battle of Hatfield Chase (Doncaster). ETHELBURH and PAULINUS flee to Kent
OSRIC becomes king of Deira; EANFRITH returns from Iona and becomes king of bernicia. Both apostasize. In further fighting both are killed by CADWALLON.
Death of FURSEY
634OSWALD plants cross in the soil and deeats Cadwallon at Battle of Heavenfield. Becomes king of the united kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia.
Birth of WILFRID
Birth of CUTHBERT
635Mission of CORMAN to Bernicia - Mission fails -
AIDAN consecrated Bishop on Iona and sent to
Northumbria, bases his mission on LINDISFARNE. Goes on to found monastery at Melrose and other northern sites; encourages HILDA to the religious life.
636South of Ireland accepts Roman Order
637Edwin captures Edinburgh and TweedBasin for Angles
640’s Hroc became ruler of Roxburgh (Arthur link)
642OSWALD killed by Penda at Oswestry
OSWY (Oswald’s younger brother) becomes king of Bernicia.
OSWIN becomes King of Deira and close friend of Aidan
651OSWIN killed at instruction of
Oswiu
AIDAN dies at Bamburgh (August 31st),
buried at Lindisfarne.
FINAN becomes Bishop of Lindisfarne
CUTHBERT enters monastery at Melrose under BOISIL as Prior
652WILFRID and BENEDICT BISCOP visit Rome
653CEDD evangelizes the East Saxons and becomes
57WILFRID and king’s son Alcfrith move CUTHBERT and his abbot EATA from Ripon - they return to Melrose. WILFRID becomes Abbot of Ripon and introduces Benedictine rule.
659CEDD builds monastery at Lastingham and becomes first Abbot
661COLMAN bishop at Lindisfarne
662BOISIL dies of plague; CUTHBERT becomes Prior of Melrose; engages in missionary journies.
664SYNOD OF WHITBY chaired by King Oswy
COLMAN resigns as Bishop of Lindisfarne
and returns to Iona
CEDD and his brother CYNEBIL die of plague
CHAD becomes Bishop of York, based at Lastingham
CUTHBERT becomes Prior of Lindisfarne
666WILFRID consecrated Bishop in Gaul
668THEODORE OF TARSUS becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
669THEODORE ‘reconsecrates’ CHAD and moves him to Lichfield WILFRID becomes Bishop of York
c664-669CUMMENE’s Life of Columba
6
their bishop. Builds stone church at Bradwell(Essex)
654CUTHBERT becomes guest-master at newly founded monastery at Ripon
AMPLIFIED VERSION
relics
670Death of OSWY, succeeded by second son ECGFRITH
672CHAD dies of plague, March 2nd
673Birth of BEDE, monk historian of Jarrow
674BENEDICT BISCOP founds monastery at Wearmouth
676CUTHBERT becomes hermit on the island of Inner Farne
678Eata made bishop of Bernicians( N Northumbria)
679ADOMNAN becomes Abbot of Iona
680Death of HILDA, November 17th
Death of CAEDMON, poet of Whitby
681TRUMWINE sent as Bishop to Picts (now under Northumbrian rule)
BENEDICT BISCOP founds monastery at Jarrow
684CUTHBERT appointed Bishop ofLindisfarne, after persuasion by King Ecgfrith and is consecrated (March 26th 685) at York by Archbishop Theodore
685Death of ECGFRITH in battle of Nechtansmere
ALDFRITH, scholar and artist, becomes King of Northumbria
670Death of OSWY, succeeded by second son ECGFRITH
672CHAD dies of plague, March 2nd
673Birth of BEDE, monk historian of Jarrow
674BENEDICT BISCOP founds monastery at Wearmouth
676CUTHBERT becomes hermit on the island of Inner Farne
679ADOMNAN becomes Abbot of Iona
680Death of HILDA, November 17th
Death of CAEDMON, poet of Whitby
681BENEDICT BISCOP founds
688EADBERHT becomes Bishop of Lindisfarne
686CUTHBERT returns to Inner Farne
687Death of CUTHBERT, March
c.692ADOMAN ‘s Life of Columba written
697ADOMNAN’s Law of Innocents confirmed at Birr
698Translation of CUTHBERT’s body, found uncorrupted.
Death of Bishop EADBERHT
EADFRITH becomes Bishop of Lindisfarne
700Life of Cuthbert written by an anonymous monk of Lindisfarne
704Death of ADOMNAN on Iona
705JOHN becomes Bishop of York
709Death of Bishop WILFRID
716Iona accepts the Roman
Order, under influence of Bishop ECGBERT
717Monks from Iona expelled from Pictland
721ETHELWALD (who bound the Lindisfarne Gospels) appointed Bishop of Lindisfarne
729Death of Bishop ECGBERTon Iona
731/2The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
completed by BEDE
735Death of BEDE
755Roman order accepted in Wales
793First Viking raid on Lindisfarne - ‘Viking Age’ dated from this raid.
794Viking raids across the Scottish islands
795Iona sacked
802Iona monastery burned to ground
806Viking raid on Iona -68 monks killed at Martyrs’ Bay
807Ionan Community moved to Kells
825BLATHMAC martyred by Vikings on Iona
847-858KENNETH macALPIN, King of the Scots
875The collapse of Northumbria. Suggested date for the abandonment of Lindisfarne by Bishop EARDULF and the community. CUTHBERT’s coffin and the Lindisfarne Gospels taken on 7 year journey, ending in Chester le Street
Hebridean Norse migrate to Iceland
989Viking raids in Wales; St David’s, Llanilltyd and Llancararn all burnt
995Viking presssure uproots Cuthbert’s People, who take his remains to Ripon, and then to Durham
998Church built in Durham to house CUTHBERT’s 690-700Writing of the Lindisfarne Gospels by EADFRITH
relics
1066Last Viking raid in England - William of Normandy (2nd generation Viking) takes the English crown
1069ETHELWINE, last of the Saxon Bishops, takes Cuthbert’s relics back to Lindisfarne, to escape King William. Returned them to Durham in 1070
1093Durham Cathedral and Lindisfarne Priory founded
CUTHBERT’s relics investigated and found uncorrupted in 1104 and 1537. Last opening of coffin in 1827; body decayed.
1066Last Viking raid in England - William of Normandy (2nd generation Viking) takes the English crown
1069ETHELWINE, last of the Saxon Bishops, takes Cuthbert’s relics back to Lindisfarne, to escape King William. Returned them to Durham in 1070
1093Durham Cathedral and Lindisfarne Priory founded
CUTHBERT’s relics investigated and found uncorrupted in 1104 and 1537. Last opening of coffin in 1827; body decayed.
1537Lindisfarne Priory dissolved by Henry VIII
NB Some dates approximate or disputed
Spellings of proper names may vary
A useful chronology can be found in
Visions and Voyages by Fay Sampson SPCK 1998
St Aidan Press for The Community of Aidan and Hilda
Lindisfarne Retreat, Marygate, Holy Island, Berwick upon Tweed TD15 2SD
1999