ST. OSWALD
Oswald was born at the beginning of the 7th century. He was the youngest son of the pagan Ethelfrid, first king of a united Northumbria. After his father's death in battle, the young Oswald fled to Iona for safety and there he was baptised and became a Christian. In 633 Oswald returned to Northumbria to regain his father's kingdom.
It was said that he set up a wooden cross as his standard and dedicated himself and his people to God's protection before engaging in battle with the occupying Welsh king, Cadwallon, not far from Hexham.
The cross standing at the battle spot commemorating the Battle of Heavenfield
The Battle of Heavenfield AD 635
Heavenfield is in the Northumbrian countryside just north of Hexham and on the Roman Wall. Today at the spot where the two forces met there is a wooden cross commemorating the ancient battle.
A church dedicated to St Oswald has been built on the site where King Oswald erected his cross.
Before the battle Oswald ordered his men to make up a wooden cross. He held the cross upright in a hole while his soldiers heaped soil around it. Then they all knelt down and prayed for God to help them defeat Cadwalllon. It is said that St Columba appeared to Oswald and told him to be strong and to be of good courage.
Near the Battle Site today
Oswald defeated and killed Cadwallon and at once invited monks from Iona to begin the work of evangelisation of his kingdom which extended from the Forth to the Humber.
There is a tradition that Oswald was crowned king on what is now known as the Lawe Top at South Shields and in the olden days it was known as Oswald's Hill.
The battle re-established a Christian as King of Northumbria and one of Oswald's first tasks was to invite the monks of Iona to set up a monastery in the region. This they did at Holy Island under the guidance of St Aidan and from here Christianity spread to be the main religion of the nation.
Oswald found Aidan to be both a valued adviser and a good friend.
Oswald often accompanied Aidan on his missionary journeys, acting as interpreter for at first Aidan could not speak the local dialect. Aidan was noted for his prayerfulness and his charity to the poor.
Killed in battle
Sadly the reign of Oswald lasted only eight years. On August 5th 642 he was killed in battle by Penda, king of the Mercians at Maserfield, now Oswestry, in Shropshire.
St Oswald's feast is celebrated on 3rd August.
Heavenfield Battleground today; the church on the hill is built on the spot where St Oswald held a cross upright and prayed before the battle.
Churches and Schools in our Diocese dedicated to St Oswald:
St Oswald's, Bellingham
St Oswald's, South Shields
St Oswald's, Wrekenton
St Oswald’s Primary School, Wrekenton
St Oswald’s Primary School, Gosforth
St Oswald’s Primary School, South Shields