St Dunstan was an English monk, abbot and royal advisor. He was born in 924 near Glastonbury and died in 988. Becoming a monk at Winchester, he settled at Glastonbury, of which he was appointed abbot by King Edmund in 945, and soon made the monastery famous as a centre of learning. On the death of Edmund he became chief adviser to the queen-mother, Eadgifu, and the young king, Edred; and through his policy the West Saxons ultimately conquered Northumbria from the Danes. With the death of Edred in 955 and the succession of Edwy, Dunstan's influence ceased and he moved to Flanders and studied the Benedictine rule. Being recalled to England by Edgar, who had become king of the country north of the Thames, Dunstan was made Bishop of Worcester and afterwards Bishop of London. With the death of Edwy in 959 Edgar became king of all England and appointed Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury in the same year. Being famed for his skill in working with gold he became the patron saint of goldsmiths. Research St Dunstan
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