21/01/2026
- On Saturday we witnessed the instalment of Hugh Edward Nelson as the 114th Bishop of Worcester. The first Bishop of Worcester was a man called Bosel, who started his career as a monk from the North of England. As a Bishop he was sent to establish the 'See' or Seat at Worcester in 680AD. The decision to create the See started on the 17th September 680AD. King Aethelred of Mercia was involved in the important Synod of Heathfield (Hatfield). This was discussing many things, including the division of the great kingdom of Mercia into 5 seats. Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury oversaw the whole process and Hilda, the Abbess of Whitby was instructed to send a Bishop to the new seat at Worcester. They may have chosen Worcester as a seat because Christianity was popular in the local tribe of the Hwicca. It was most probably the tribal centre too. Bosel was not the first choice. Hilda had originally sent another person by the name of Tatfrid. His death led to Bosel being sent to Worcester instead. At the time Worcester was known as Wegoran, a relatively small community making use of the earlier settlement and the surrounding area. The Ancient settlement was surrounded by a Roman ditch and embankment, topped by a palisade of timber. The people lived in small timber homes, with farming plots and enclosures for livestock. We have to guess that most of the earlier Roman buildings were in a state of disrepair or demolished following the collapse of the Roman Empire around 410AD. This period in history was a very turbulent one for Britannia. Emperor Honorius warned the Province that it must now deal with it's own security after the Legions left! The vacuum was being filled by numerous warring people. In the North, unconquered tribes had crossed the now unguarded Hadrian's Wall. In the West, the Welsh had moved across the River Severn. To the South and East, Angles, Jutes and Saxons from Northern Europe had all attacked our little Island. When the Anglo-Saxons began to settle they were often fighting each other. In a way we went back to being a dangerous tribal country with many Kings and bands of warriors. This is what Britannia was like before the Romans. Many fought to control not only land, but religious beliefs. In the 6th and 7th Centuries, violent battles would eventually see the Pagan King Penda killed, and the Christian Hwicca Tribe move into what we now call Worcestershire. These events would lead to the Synod and Bosel being sent to lead the area religiously in 680AD. One of his first duties was to build a new church in the centre of the settlement. We know St Helen's and St Alban's churches were already in place by the time this new church was built. We are not sure whether the church was built from stone or timber. It is worth remembering that it was still standing in 991AD, so possibly made of stone, or from timber with, later, stone extensions. Archaeology points to it's location being on College Green, close to what is now College Hall. Excavations in this area in 2020, revealed stone walls and a high status burial chamber. The Church of St Peter was now the official seat of the Bishop of Worcester and would be cared for by a small group of people, their close family and servants. The title 'Episcopus Hwicciorum' was given to the Bishop, meaning 'Bishop of the Hwicca'. Bosel would eventually resign his post due to ill health in 691. He would die shortly after. His small church would eventually become a Cathedral, with a thriving Benedictine Monastery. Today his name is used for one of the University buildings. The Instalment service held on Saturday saw Hugh arrive at the West door, knocking three times to gain entry. This was a ceremony usually carried out when new churches were consecrated. He was also questioned by local children as to his purpose, he prayed on his knees, and was led into the centre of the Cathedral for his instalment ceremony. His oaths were swore on a beautiful New Testament, translated into English by Wycliffe. This was presented to the Cathedral by Bishop Prideaux in the 17th Century. His symbols of office, including his Pectoral Cross, Stole, Cope, Mitre and Crozier were presented to him. He then took up his post on the Cathedra or Bishop's Seat We welcome Bishop Hugh to the very Ancient City of Worcester, following in the footsteps of Bishop Bosel, our first Bishop.
