were they related to any church in any way?
Yes, church was a major force here.
Aldfrith of Northumbria
Along with the king, royal family, and chief noblemen, the church was a major force in Northumbria.
what is aldfrith of northumbria? King of Northumbria
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Aldfrith of Northumbria [SEP] Relations with the Church
Along with the king, royal family, and chief noblemen, the church was a major force in Northumbria. Churchmen were not only figures of spiritual authority, they were major landowners, who also controlled trade, centred at major churches and monasteries in a land without cities and towns. The bishopric of Lindisfarne was held by Cuthbert at Aldfrith's accession; Cuthbert was succeeded by the Irish-educated Eadberht, who would later be Abbot of Iona and bring the Easter controversy to an end, and then by Eadfrith, creator of the Lindisfarne Gospels. The bishops of Lindisfarne sometimes held the see of Hexham, but during Aldfrith's reign it was held by John of Beverley, a pupil and protégé of Theodore, the Archbishop of Canterbury.