Walcher of Durham Appointm as Earl 1075

History & Significance

Walcher (died 14 May 1080) was the bishop of Durham from 1071, a Lotharingian and the first Prince-bishop (appointed by the King, not the Pope).

He was the first non-Englishman to hold that see and an appointee of William the Conqueror following the Harrying of the North. He was murdered in 1080, which led William to send an army into Northumbria to harry the region again.

Walcher was a priest in Lotharingia from Liège and a secular clerk. He was invited by William I to fill the post of Bishop of Durham, and he was consecrated bishop in 1071 and probably enthroned on 3 April 1071. During the first part of his term as bishop, he was on friendly terms with Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria, so much so that Waltheof sat with the clergy when Walcher held synods. After Waltheof rebelled and lost his earldom, Walcher was allowed to buy the earldom of Northumbria. Walcher planned to introduce monks into his cathedral chapter, and was remembered as encouraging monasticism in his diocese. Particularly, he was known as the patron of Aldwine, who attempted to re-establish monasticism at Whitby. Eventually, the group settled at Durham under Walcher's successor William de St-Calais. The medieval chronicler Symeon of Durham stated that Walcher had begun construction of monastic buildings at Durham as part of his plan to introduce monks into Durham.

One of Walcher's councillors was Ligulf of Lumley, who was connected by birth to the old Northumbrian line and was married to the daughter of Ealdred, Earl of Bernicia. Ligulf's presence in the bishop's council provided a link with the local aristocracy. There was a Scottish invasion in 1079, which Walcher was unable or unwilling to deal with effectively. The Scots, under Malcolm III, were able to plunder Northumberland for about three weeks unopposed before returning to Scotland with slaves and booty. Ligulf was very critical of Walcher's conduct. A feud ensued between Ligulf and two of Walcher's henchmen, his chaplain Leobwin and his kinsman Gilbert. Gilbert attacked Ligulf's hall in the middle of the night and Ligulf and most of his household were killed.

The Northumbrians were enraged at the murder of one of their leaders and there was a real threat of rebellion. In order to calm the situation Walcher agreed to travel from Durham and meet Ligulf's kinsmen at Gateshead. He travelled with at least one hundred retainers for safety. At Gateshead, he met Eadulf Rus the leader of the kinsmen and was presented with a petition of wrongs committed. Walcher rejected these and the enraged Northumbrians attacked the Norman party. Walcher and his men sought refuge in a nearby church but the Northumbrians set fire to it. Leobwin died in the blaze and when Walcher, Gilbert and the rest of his party were forced out by the flames they were killed on 14 May 1080 at Gateshead.

The ground they fought on

The site of Walcher of Durham Appointm as Earl 1075 lies on Pennine Middle Coal Measures Formation And South Wales Middle Coal Measures Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Moscovian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Scheduled Monuments near Walcher of Durham Appointm as Earl 1075

Elvet Bridge

Scheduled monument · ~0.3 mi

Elvet Bridge is a medieval bridge spanning the River Wear in Durham, England, first constructed in the twelfth century as a vital crossing for travellers and commerce approaching Durham city from the south. The bridge originally comprised a series of stone arches, though it has undergone substant…

KlausFoehl / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Chapel of St Mary Magdalene

Scheduled monument · ~0.3 mi

Chapel of St Mary Magdalene is a medieval chapel located in Durham, England, designated as a scheduled ancient monument under NHLE list entry 1002338. The chapel dates to the medieval period and represents an important element of Durham's religious infrastructure during the Middle Ages. The struc…

David Hawgood / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Kepier Hospital

Scheduled monument · ~0.4 mi

Kepier Hospital is a medieval charitable institution founded in the twelfth century in Durham, serving as a leper hospital placed strategically outside the city walls. The hospital was established to provide refuge and care for leprosy sufferers, reflecting the social and religious obligations of…

GRAEME and LESLEY CRANSTON / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Framwellgate Bridge

Scheduled monument · ~0.4 mi

Framwellgate Bridge is a medieval bridge crossing the River Wear in Durham, dating to the twelfth century. The structure comprises a series of stone arches and has been substantially rebuilt and modified over its long history, particularly during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, though i…

Tom Page / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

The Water Gate

Scheduled monument · ~0.7 mi

The Water Gate is a medieval fortified gateway structure located in Durham, England, forming part of the town's defensive architecture. Dating to the medieval period, the structure represents an important element of Durham's urban fortifications, controlling access to the settlement via the River…

St Cuthbert's Society, University of Durham / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Prebend's Bridge

Scheduled monument · ~0.7 mi

Prebend's Bridge is a medieval stone bridge crossing the River Wear in Durham. The bridge dates from the fourteenth century and represents an important example of medieval bridge construction in the North East of England. It takes its name from the prebends, or cathedral clergy, whose lands it se…

PeterGHughes at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5 / Wikimedia Commons

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• Walcher · Wikipedia
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Walcher · Wikisource