Caedmon

Cædmon (born in 7th century AD) was the first hymn writer to compose in English. Originally, a lay brother who worked as a herdsman at Whitby Abbey monastery, one evening, while the monks were feasting, singing, and playing a harp, he left early to sleep with the animals because he knew no songs. While asleep, Caedmon had a dream in which an angel approached him and commanded him to sing of God’s creation. After first refusing to sing, he subsequently produced a short eulogistic poem praising God, the Creator of heaven and earth.

Upon awakening the next morning, Cædmon remembered everything he had sung and added additional lines to what became known as Caedmon’s Hymn. After sharing it with the abbess he was given a new commission, this time for a poem based on “a passage of sacred history or doctrine”, by way of a test. When Cædmon returned the next morning with the requested poem, he was ordered to take monastic vows. The abbess ordered her scholars to teach Cædmon sacred history and doctrine, which after a night of thought, he would turn into the most beautiful verse.