Waltheof, St.
WALTHEOF, ST.
Cistercian abbot, second son of Simon of Saint-Liz, earl of Northampton and Huntingdon; d. Aug. 3, 1159. Waltheof (Waldef, Walden, or Wallevus) He was educated at the court of his stepfather, King david of scotland, where aelred of rievaulx was his companion. He became a canon regular at the priory of Nostell, c. 1130, and about three years later was elected prior of Kirkham. In 1143 he joined with Cistercians in protest at Rome against the election of william fitzherbert to the archbishopric of York; shortly afterward he became a Cistercian at Wardon. Waltheof retired to rievaulx to avoid the displeasure of his brother, Simon, earl of Northampton, and in 1148 was elected abbot of melrose, scotland. He refused the bishopric of Glasgow shortly before his death. Miracles at his tomb caused his incorrupt body to be transferred to a new marble sarcophagus in 1171; in 1240 it was moved to the east part of the chapter house.
Feast: Aug. 6.
Bibliography: jocelin of furness, Vita S. Waltheni abbatis, Acta Sanctorum (Paris 1863—) 1:249277. Chronicle of Melrose, ed. and tr. j. stevenson (London 1936). w. e. rhodes, The Dictionary of National Biography From the Earliest Times to 1900 (London 1938) 20:724725. walter daniel, The Life of Ailred of Rievaulx, ed. and tr. f. m. powicke (New York 1950).
[c. h. talbot]