Erkenwald

Erkenwald
Bishop of London
Erkenwald teaching monks in a historiated initial from the Chertsey Breviary (c.1300)
Province	Canterbury
Installed	675
Term ended	693
Predecessor	Wine
Successor	Waldhere
Other posts	Abbot of Chertsey
Orders
Consecration	c. 675
Personal details
Born	circa 630 Kingdom of Lindsey
Died	693 Barking Abbey
Buried	Old St Paul's Cathedral, London
Denomination	Christianity
Sainthood
Feast day	13 May 24 April 30 April 14 November in England
Attributes	bishop in a small chariot, which he used for travelling his diocese; with Saint Ethelburga of Barking
Patronage	against gout
Shrines	St. Paul's, London

Erkenwald (died 693) was Bishop of London in the Anglo-Saxon Christian church between 675 and 693.

Erkenwald was born at Lindsey in Lincolnshire, and was supposedly of royal ancestry. Erkenwald gave up his share of family money to help establish two Benedictine abbeys, Chertsey Abbey in Surrey in 661 for men, and Barking Abbey for women. His sister, Æthelburg, was Abbess of Barking, while he served as Abbot of Chertsey.

In 675, Erkenwald became the Bishop of London, after Wine. He was the choice of Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury. While bishop, he contributed to King Ine of Wessex's law code, and is mentioned specifically in the code as a contributor. He is also reputed to have converted Sebba, King of the East Saxons to Christianity in 677. Current historical scholarship credits Erkenwald with a large role in the evolution of Anglo-Saxon charters, and it is possible that he drafted the charter of Caedwalla to Farnham. King Ine of Wessex named Erkenwald as an advisor on his laws.

Erkenwald died in 693 and his remains were buried at Old St Paul's Cathedral. His grave was a popular place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, and was destroyed together with a number of other tombs in the cathedral during the Reformation.

Erkenwald's feast day is 30 April, with translations being celebrated on 1 February and 13 May.