Lyfing of Winchester

Lyfing of Winchester (died March 1046) was an Anglo-Saxon prelate who served as Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Crediton and Bishop of Cornwall.

Life

Lyfing's uncle was Burhweald, Bishop of Cornwall, according to the medieval chronicler William of Malmesbury. He was probably a monk either at Winchester Abbey or at Glastonbury Abbey. In 1009, he became Abbot of Tavistock, and that was always his favourite of the offices he held. In 1027, he became the Bishop of Crediton, and about the same time he became Bishop of Cornwall on the death of his uncle Brihtwold, so he united those two sees, with the seat at Crediton. His elevation probably was due both to his family and to his assistance to Cnut in Rome. There is also some indication he may have been a protégé of Godwin, Earl of Wessex. King Harold Harefoot gave Worcester to Lyfing because of Lyfing's support of Harold. Lyfing was accused by Aelfric Puttoc, the archbishop of York, who briefly replaced Lyfing at Worcester. Lyfing seems to have claimed that he was merely following the orders of Harold Harefoot. However, he was restored to Worcester in 1041 and held the three sees until his death on 20, 23 or 25 March 1046. A tradition at Worcester also recorded that it was Lyfing, along with Archbishop Eadsige of Canterbury, who forced Sweyn Godwinson to release Eadgifu, the abbess of Leominster whom Sweyn had kidnapped. In revenge, Sweyn raided the lands of the diocese of Worcester.

Before Lyfing's death, Aldred, who succeeded him at Worcester, had probably been acting as his suffragan or co-bishop. When Lyfing died, he chose to be buried at Tavistock Abbey. Tavistock monks also remembered him as a great benefactor to their monastery.