He was born in the late 7th century in the village of Harpham, on the Yorkshire Wolds, and was educated by St. Adrian in the monastic school in Canterbury. On returning to his native parts he became a monk at Whitby, in the double foundation, for men and women, which had been made by St. Hilda. In 687 he was consecrated bishop of Hexham, on the ‘frontier country’ adjacent to Hadrian’s Wall. He made the poor and handicapped his especial concern, notably those who required the most patience, and particularly the deaf and dumb. The Venerable Bede was ordained both deacon and priest by him. In 705 he was appointed bishop of York (the title ‘archbishop’ for that see did not then exist), his place at Hexham being taken by the aged St. Wilfrid, who had actually been at York before him. St. John made the monastic foundation at Beverley, west of Hull, then in uninhabited forest land. He retired to this house in 717 and died in 721. He had many famous medieval devotees, including the hermit Julian of Norwich, famous for her visions, King Henry V, who ascribed the victory of Agincourt to his intercession, and the martyr St. John Fisher, who was born in Beverley. In 1307 his remains were transferred to the great cathedral-like church, Beverley Minister; they were despoiled at the Reformation, but some relics were rediscovered in 1664.