St Alphege who was born about 953 was hermit before being made abbot of Bath. In 984 he became the first English Bishop of Winchester. He was a great supporter of monastic reforms and was made Archbishop of Canterbury. He refused to allow a ransom to be paid for his freedom when taken captive by the Danes was buried first at St Paul’s London which became a place of pilgrimage and miracles. He was canonised in 1078.
NB. Not to be confused with the earlier Saint Alphege who reposed 951.
