Lawrence of Durham

Lawrence of Durham
Born	Waltham, Essex
Died	March 1154 France
Resting place	Durham
Other names	Lawrence/Laurence of Waltham
Education	Church of the Holy Cross school, Waltham
Years active	2nd quarter of the 12th century
Known for	Latin poetry
Title	Prior of Durham
Term	1149–1154
Predecessor	Roger
Successor	Absalom

Lawrence of Durham (died 1154) was a 12th-century English prelate, Latin poet and hagiographer. Born in southern England, at Waltham in Essex, Lawrence was given a religious education, and excelled at singing and poetry composition. In his youth Lawrence joined Durham Cathedral Priory and became a Benedictine monk. In the 1130s Lawrence became a courtier of Geoffrey Rufus, bishop of Durham.

After the latter's death, Lawrence was a leading opponent of William Cumin, claimant to the vacant episcopate during the first half of the decade, and suffered brief exile from the monastery. After Cumin's defeat and the accession of William de Ste Barbe, Lawrence became sub-prior and then prior of Durham. During his lifetime as a monk of Durham, Lawrence wrote several important works in Latin, including the Dialogi, the Hypognosticon, and a hagiography of Saint Brigd for Ailred of Rievaulx.

Lawrence was born at Waltham, Essex, a place that Lawrence claimed was renowned for its poets. A date of around 1114 has been suggested for his birth, but this is uncertain; other potential dates put forward include c. 1110 and c. 1100. Growing taller than average, he was educated at the church of Waltham Abbey, the church of the Holy Cross, before entering Durham Cathedral Priory as a novice during the episcopate of Ranulf Flambard (bishop of Durham, 1099–1128).

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