Irish researchers find oldest English poem in medieval tome
Irish researchers have discovered the oldest surviving English poem, 'Caedmon's Hymn,' in a medieval manuscript located in a Roman library. This poem, composed in the 7th century, was found within the main body of Latin text, making it a unique find. The discovery highlights the early significance of the English language and its literary heritage.
- ▪The poem was composed by a Northumbrian agricultural worker in the 7th century.
- ▪It appears in the 'Ecclesiastical History of the English People' by the Venerable Bede.
- ▪This manuscript is one of the oldest, dating from the 9th century, and predates previous known copies by three centuries.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
World Irish researchers find oldest English-language poem in forgotten medieval tome May 17, 2026 / 10:44 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Researchers in Ireland marveled at their computer screen as they flipped through the digitized pages of a medieval book tracked down in a Roman library. Within them, they found their sought-after treasure: the oldest surviving English poem."We were extremely surprised. We were speechless. We couldn't believe our eyes when we first saw that," Elisabetta Magnanti, a visiting research fellow at Trinity College Dublin's school of English, told The Associated Press.What's more, she said, the poem was within the main body of Latin text: "It was extraordinary."Composed in Old English by a Northumbrian agricultural worker in the 7th century, "Caedmon's…
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