6 - Wulsin

Summary

Wulsin, the sixth abbot

The establishment of the church and the town of St Albans in the time of the abbot recalled here.

Wulsin. He was pious, well ordered in life and shone brightly in spiritual and secular affairs. He also loved the district and the people of St Albans and promoted their welfare. He took the market-place in hand, increased its size, and then had it settled with people from parts surrounding the town; those putting up buildings [there] he supported both with money and materials.

Wulsin built the churches of St Peter, St Michael and St Stephen

Devoutly, he built the church of St Peter on the north side of the town, the church of St Stephen on the south side and the church of St Michael on the west side, also for the use and adornment of the district and for the salvation of souls. He honoured the hermit Eadfrith, once abbot and his own predecessor, and showed him great reverence because of the merits of his holy life. And when Eadfrith died, Wulsin held a solemn funeral for him, and buried him among the abbots.

Because of his reverence for St Germanus and the servant of God, Wulsin was also devoted to the oratory in which Eadfrith had lived and died, so much so that he often celebrated a solemn mass there. Afterwards he built an oratory in honour of St Mary Magdalene not far from that other oratory [see map 1]. As a man of holiness and full of days, Wulsin happily passed away to our Lord.