Herman

Who was Herman?

Herman was a medieval cleric who served as the Bishop of Ramsbury and Bishop of Sherborne, before the dioceses were united to form the Bishopric of Salisbury, of which he was the first bishop.

Herman was a native of Flanders. As chaplain of Edward the Confessor he was named to the see of Ramsbury shortly after 22 April 1045. He visited Rome in 1050, where he attended a papal council, along with his fellow English bishop Aldred. He resigned Ramsbury in 1055 when King Edward the Confessor of England did not allow the transfer of the see from Ramsbury to Malmesbury. Herman wished to take over the abbey and turn it into his cathedral, because Ramsbury was poor, and Malmesbury was a rich abbey. After his resignation, he returned to the continent and became a monk at the abbey of St. Bertin at Saint-Omer. He was named to the see of Sherborne about 1058 and was restored to Ramsbury, thus holding both bishoprics together. He later moved the see to Salisbury, making the new diocese of Salisbury. Approval of the transfer of the see was given at the Council of London in 1074 and 1075. While bishop he was a patron of Goscelin of Saint-Bertin, a noted medieval historian and musician.