Alkelda facts for kids
Saint Alkelda (also called Alcelda or Alchhild) was an Anglo-Saxon princess. She is believed to have lived around the year 800. Not much is known about her life, and some people even wonder if she was a real person. Her name, Alkelda, might come from an Old English word, "Hǣlcelde," which means "healing spring."
Who Was Saint Alkelda?
According to old stories, Alkelda was an Anglo-Saxon princess. She might also have been a nun. People say she was killed by Viking women around the year 800. This happened during raids by the Danish Vikings in a place called Middleham in Yorkshire.
Alkelda is the special saint for two churches in England. One is the church in Giggleswick. The other is the church in Middleham. This church in Middleham also has a holy well nearby. Some people think Alkelda might have been in charge of a monastery (a place where monks or nuns live) in Middleham.
Different Ideas About Her Name
The area where these churches are found has many springs. Some of these springs are very close to the churches. People did not write about Saint Alkelda until much later, in the Middle Ages. Because of this, some historians think her name, Alkelda, might be a changed version of an Anglo-Saxon word. This word is haligkelda, which means holy spring.
However, not everyone agrees with this idea. Other people believe she might have come from Iceland. Her name could be linked to a place there called Ölkelda. They think her story and fame might have been brought to Yorkshire by the Vikings. Once she was in Yorkshire, her name became connected with the holy springs in places like Giggleswick.
Her special day, or feast day, is celebrated on March 28th.
