Join Harry Gilbert for an illuminating exploration of the worship of Rochester Saints from 788 - c.1150 AD

Medieval Rochester was a popular pilgrimage site with thousands coming to shrines including Paulinus and Ithamar. The shrines were lost following the Reformation. Harry Gilbert will look at the evidence for these key figures in the history of Rochester Cathedral.

Using written sources including Textus Roffensis, he will look at the evidence demonstrating how Paulinus was worshipped at Rochester Cathedral over earlier Rochester Saints including Justus and Romanus. Using a hagiographic work, Miracula sancti paulini, written at Rochester Cathedral he will show how his cult appears to have persisted until after the Norman Conquest.

He will then look at the little known first English born bishop, Ithamar and explore the written evidence for this early Rochester saint and how his cult was developed under Bishop John in the 1100s.

About Harry Gilbert

Harry Gilbert is a CHASE-funded PhD candidate at the University of Kent's Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies. His project seeks to explore the understanding, utilisation, and manipulation of the past in the hagiography and diplomatic of Rochester Cathedral's post-Conquest scriptorium, bringing the Textus Roffensis into conversation with other unique Rochester texts such as the Miracula sancti paulini, Vita Gundulfi, and Miracula sancti ithamari episcopi. Though he now lives in Chatham, Harry grew up in Rochester, and is overjoyed to be presenting his research at the cathedral itself.

Tickets

Tickets are £10 and include a glass of prosecco

Doors open at 18:30