Edith of Polesworth facts for kids

Saint Edith of Polesworth (also known as Editha or Eadgyth) was an important Anglo-Saxon abbess. An abbess is the head of a community of nuns. She is linked to Polesworth Abbey in Warwickshire and Tamworth, Staffordshire in Staffordshire. These places were part of Mercia, an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom.

We don't know exactly when Saint Edith lived, but it was likely around the 960s. Her exact story is a bit of a mystery. Some old writings say she was the daughter of King Edward the Elder. Others suggest she was the daughter of Egbert of Wessex. Her special day, or feast day, is celebrated on July 15th.

Who Was Saint Edith?

It's tricky to know the full story of Saint Edith. Her name, Ealdgyth, appears in an old list of saints called Secgan. This list says she was buried at Polesworth. Historians have different ideas about who she really was.

Sister of a West-Saxon King?

One popular story comes from the 12th century. It says that Edith was the sister of King Æthelstan. King Æthelstan was a powerful English king. This story claims that Æthelstan arranged for Edith to marry Sihtric Cáech. Sihtric was a Viking king who ruled parts of northern England and Ireland.

The story says that Edith's marriage to Sihtric didn't fully happen. When Sihtric stopped being Christian and died soon after, Edith returned home. She then started a nunnery (a place where nuns live) at Polesworth. This was near Tamworth, an important royal town. Edith then spent the rest of her life there as a devoted nun.

This story might come from an older record, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This chronicle says that in 926, King Æthelstan married his sister to Sihtric. The wedding feast was held in Tamworth. However, the chronicle doesn't say the sister's name.

Later, a writer named William of Malmesbury said this sister was a daughter of King Edward the Elder. This would make her Æthelstan's full sister. But he also said he couldn't find her name. Another version of the story says this Edith was Æthelstan's half-sister, a daughter of Edward's second wife, Ælfflæd.

Because these old stories are different, historians today aren't sure. Some think Edith could have been Æthelstan's sister. They point out that Æthelstan had strong ties to Mercia, where Polesworth is. So, it makes sense she might have lived there. Others think it's unlikely that two of King Edward's daughters would have the same name, Edith.

An Early Mercian Saint?

Another idea is that Saint Edith was an older saint from Mercia. She is listed in Secgan with other early saints buried near rivers. This could mean she was a Mercian saint from the 7th or 8th century. However, some historians believe her entry in Secgan might have been added later, perhaps during King Æthelstan's time.

Churches Dedicated to Saint Edith

Saint Edith is remembered in many churches, especially in the middle of England.

• The most famous are Polesworth Abbey and the Collegiate Church of Tamworth. A collegiate church is a church run by a group of clergy, not a bishop.
• Other churches named after her include Church Eaton in Staffordshire.
• There's also Amington Parish Church in Tamworth.
• St Edith's Church in Monks Kirby, Warwickshire.
• Several churches in Louth, Lincolnshire.

See also

• Church of St Editha, a Grade I listed building