Athelm (orÆthelhelm; died 8 January 926) was an English churchman, who was the firstBishop of Wells, and laterArchbishop of Canterbury. Histranslation, or moving from one bishopric to another, was a precedent for later translations of ecclesiastics, because prior to this time period such movements were considered illegal. While archbishop, Athelm crowned KingÆthelstan, and perhaps wrote the coronation service for the event. He was the uncle ofDunstan, a later Archbishop of Canterbury, Athelm helped promote Dunstan's early career. After Athelm's death, he was considered a saint, with his feast day being on 8 January.

Athelm was amonk ofGlastonbury Abbey^[1] before his elevation in 909 to thesee of Wells, of which he was the first occupant.^[2] The see was founded to divide up thediocese of Sherborne, which was very large, by creating a bishopric for the county of Somerset. Wells was likely chosen as the seat because it was the center of the county.^[3] Some scholarly works suggest that Athelm may be the same person asÆthelhelm, son of KingÆthelred of Wessex,^[4] but this is not accepted by most historians.^[5] A few sources state that Athelm wasAbbot of Glastonbury before he became bishop,^[6] but other sources disagree and do not give him that office.^[1] This traces to later medieval chroniclers, not to contemporary accounts. His brother was Heorstan, who held land near Glastonbury.^[7]

Between August 923 and September 925 he became archbishop.^[8][a] His translation from the see of Wells set a precedent for the future, and marks a break with historical practice. Previously, the moving of a bishop from one see to another had been held to be against canon, or ecclesiastical, law. Recently, however, the popes had themselves been translated, and this practice was to become common in England after Athelm's time.^[10] He was West Saxon, unlike his predecessor,Plegmund, who was Mercian, reflecting the shift in power toWessex.^[11] Athelm was a paternal uncle ofDunstan,^[1] who later became Archbishop of Canterbury. It was Athelm who brought Dunstan to the king's court.^[12]

Athelm presided at the coronation of KingAthelstan of England on 4 September 925, and probably composed or organised the newOrdo (order of service) in which, for the first time, the king wore a crown instead of a helmet. He also attested the king's first grant toSt Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury.^[11] It is unclear if the reason that no coins were minted with his name was his short term of office or a change in policy towards the Archbishop of Canterbury minting coins in his own name. Nothing else is known of Athelm's brief time as archbishop.^[10]

Athelm died on 8 January 926.^[1][8] He was later considered a saint, with a feast day of 8 January.^[13] He was buried at first in the church of St John the Baptist near the Saxon-eraCanterbury Cathedral. When a new cathedral was constructed under ArchbishopLanfranc after theNorman Conquest of England, the earlier archbishops of Canterbury were moved to the northtransept of the new cathedral. Later, Athelm and his successor as archbishopWulfhelm were moved to a chapel dedicated to St Benedict, which later was incorporated into theLady Chapel constructed byPrior Thomas Goldstone (d. 1468).^[14]

• Æthelhelm 15 atProsopography of Anglo-Saxon England

• Archbishops of Canterbury
• Bishops of Wells
• 10th-century English archbishops
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• 926 deaths
• 10th-century English bishops

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