Waltheof of Melrose

Waltheof
Abbot of Melrose
19th century sketch of Waltheof's 12th century tomb
Installed	1148
Term ended	1159
Predecessor	Richard
Successor	William
Personal details
Born	c. 1095 probably Huntingdon or Northamptonshire
Died	3 August 1159(1159-08-03) (aged c. 64) Melrose
Buried	Melrose Abbey
Parents	Simon I of St Liz, 1st Earl of Northampton Maud, 2nd Countess of Huntingdon
Sainthood
Feast day	3 August
Patronage	Melrose Abbey, Northamptonshire

Waltheof (also Waldef or Waldeve) (c. 1095 – 1159) was a 12th-century English abbot and saint. He was the son of Simon I of St Liz, 1st Earl of Northampton and Maud, 2nd Countess of Huntingdon, thus stepson to David I of Scotland, and the grandson of Waltheof, Earl of Northampton.

As a younger son in the world of Norman succession laws, Waltheof chose a career in the church. Between 1128 and 1131 he entered Nostell Priory to become an Augustinian canon. His noble connections enabled him to rise quickly. Within a few years he became Prior of Kirkham, North Yorkshire. Upon the death of Thurstan, Archbishop of York, in 1140, Waltheof was nominated to be his successor. His candidacy was supported by William of Aumale, the Earl of York.Stephen, probably sensing his links to David and hence to the Empress Matilda were too strong, rejected the nomination. William of Aumale withdrew his support after Waltheof refused to promise to give the earl the ecclesiastical manor of Sherburn-in-Elmet in the West Riding of Yorkshire.William fitz Herbert was instead chosen by Stephen. Waltheof featured prominently among those opposing William's provision, but by 1143 he had given up and become a Cistercian monk at Rievaulx Abbey. In 1148 he was elected to the abbacy of Melrose, a daughter house of Rievaulx. Waltheof remained in this position for the remainder of his life, even though he was offered of the bishopric of St Andrews in early 1159, which he declined. He died at Melrose Abbey on 3 August 1159.