St Wulfric

Compton Martin's very own Saint!

St Wulfric (c1080 to 1154)

In the North West corner of this church are three stained-glass windows of three saints - St George, St Andrew and in the middle of them, St Wulfric.

These are likely to have been cast in the middle ages, but they honour a man who was born in the village of Compton Martin (in “the coombe”) around the time of the Domesday Book and shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066. He died on 20th February 1154 and this remains his Feast-day.

He is depicted wearing vestments and offering the Eucharist as a sign that he was a holy man, a saint and one that fully represented Jesus Christ here on earth.

The reality of this is captured in incredible detail by a contemporary of his in John of Forde Abbey who wrote about the “blessed Wulfric’s” life some thirty or so years later. This text called “Life” survives today, written in Latin, and it remains a unique archive of the social, political and ecclesiastical period in the twelfth century. The text and stories were all captured from people who lived alongside or knew Wulfric directly such as Henry, Abbot of Waverly. Wulfric was probably the first priest in Compton Martin, as it is recorded that the Lord of the Manor, William Fitzwalter appointed him after funding his religious education and he returned to live with the family as

priest and chaplain. It is said that he had been previously addicted to hunting and hawking but a chance meeting with a beggar had prompted him to lead a more austere and holy life.

This co-incides with the foundation of the church here in Compton Martin which was probably around 1120-25. The Baronacy of the whole area of Blagdon and surrounds had passed to the person who gave the village part of his name, Robert Fitzmartin, having been known as “Cortone”(Compton) in the Doomsday Book. It is possible that Robert Fitzmartin commissioned some of the best stonemasons to build Compton Martin church shortly after he had successfully created an ecclesiastical and military base at St Dogmael’s in Pembrokeshire by 1118.

Another clue to this is in the dedication of the church to St Michael the Archangel - with whom Wulfric had great affinity and connection. Local places like Montacute, a regional centre, where the influential Cluniac Monks were now based below St Michael’s Hill with St Michael’s Chapel were located nearby, along with Haselbury where he became an anchorite in 1125 which was also dedicated to St Michael. Wulfric was connected to the Cluniac monastery at Montacute throughout his ministry. It is recorded that Wulfric would always celebrate communion on St Michael’s Feast-day (29th September) including when he was an anchorite (not priest) at Haselbury. In stark contrast to the Wulfric depicted in vestments, he was actually a hermit or anchorite and would

dress in hair shirt and chainmail leading an austere existence with fasting and vigils often at night. However, his impact as a representative of Christ was entirely accurate. In John of Forde’s work there are chapters dedicated to Wulfric’s healing, miracles, prophecies and manifestations of God’s power and presence. The most significant and dramatic interventions are detailed

as consultations in his cell in Haselbury church with two Kings of England. He advised Henry I and then prophesied his death in 1135 and separately greeted King Stephen that he would be King before his actual accession. This places him right at the heart of the period called “the anarchy” which is described as such for good reason, caused much earlier by the death of Henry I’s sole legitimate heir on board his flagship vessel, the White Ship in 1120. What followed was nearly twenty years of uncertainty and violence, when Stephen seized the throne with the support of the Church and Henry’s daughter Matilda who challenged him throughout his reign. On more than one occasion he reproached Stephen for misgovernment in cases of preaching truth to power!

His reputation and influence though was with many from all backgrounds and walks of life and he inspired not only the parish priest Brihtric and his son Osbern at Haselbury, but influential men and women in the church and state, and regular pilgrims throughout this period and well into the middle ages. He famously inspired an anchoress called Matilda of Wareham, cured a knight called Drogo of paralysis, would copy and bind books for the use of all and touchingly would offer small rings from his chainmail to grateful recipients.

Apparently, the miracles at Haselbury continued well into the next century.Wulfric would have conversed in English and French. We know this because he communicated with many

leaders in authority who would have conversed in French. It is also documented that he helped a man who was dumb to suddenly speak in both English and French, much to the annoyance of the parish priest Brihtric who was desperate to learn to speak French to the aforesaid leaders in authority.

The Oxford Dictionary of Saints contains about 1500 entries and the one born in Compton Martin at such a significant point in English history, Wulfric, has a legacy which is incredibly recorded for posterity; and along with St Michael provides us with a church building and dedication which has endured and been cherished in village life for over 900 years.

​

Jon Reynolds

February 2025

Bibliography

Farmer, David. 1996. Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford University Press

Matarasso, Pauline. 2011. The Life of Wulfric of Haslebury, Anchorite by John of Forde. Liturgical Press

Morris, John. 1980. Domesday Book -Somerset. Phillimore & Co

Spencer, Charles. 2020. The White Ship. William Collins

Stenton, Doris Mary. 1965. English Society in the Early Middle Ages. Pelican