Elizabeth Sander facts for kids

Elizabeth Sander (born before 1574, died August 1, 1607) was an English nun and writer. She joined a group of nuns from Syon Abbey who had left England because of their religion. She later came back to England, where she was put in prison and then escaped in 1580. She even escaped from Winchester Castle, a famous prison, but then surprisingly gave herself back to her jailors. She died in Lisbon, Portugal. Her group of nuns was the only English community of its kind to continue without stopping after monasteries were closed down in England.

Elizabeth Sander's Early Life

Elizabeth Sander's parents were Elizabeth Mynes and William Sander. They lived in a place called Charlwood in Surrey, England. Elizabeth had eleven brothers and sisters. One of her brothers was a priest named Nicholas Sanders. He had been a professor and became a Roman Catholic priest in Rome. He left England after the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I became queen in 1558. Elizabeth's sister, Margaret, also became a nun, and Elizabeth wanted to be one too.

Journey to Become a Nun

Elizabeth left England before 1578 to become a nun. She joined a group of nuns from Syon Abbey. This abbey had been closed in 1539 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed many religious houses in England.

This group of nuns had to move many times. Between 1539 and 1573, they moved five times. In 1573, they settled in a city called Mechelen (now in Belgium). We know Elizabeth was with the Mechelen group in 1578 because she returned to England that year.

Return to England and Imprisonment

Elizabeth came back to England in 1578 with two other women, Mary Champney and Anne Stapleton. It's thought they might have returned to escape problems in Mechelen. Or perhaps they came back to raise money for their group of nuns. We know a lot about Elizabeth's time because she wrote long letters to Sir Francis Englefield. He was an important person who had left England in 1559 because he was Catholic and England was becoming Protestant.

Elizabeth stayed with other Catholics in England. But in 1580, she was arrested and questioned. The Bishop of Winchester said she had "certain bad and forbidden books." These books likely included writings by Edward Campion, a Catholic priest. She was questioned about her plans. She said she was in England to avoid people in Mechelen who had different religious beliefs. Her questioners were very interested in her brother, Nicholas, who was known for speaking out against the government.

Elizabeth was allowed to leave her prison to attend a religious service. But when she was caught, she was sent to Winchester Castle. She managed to escape from the castle, even though other prisoners told her to follow the rules. After escaping, she spoke to other priests. They advised her to go back to her jail. Surprisingly, she did! Because of this unusual move, she was given more freedom.

In 1587, Elizabeth returned to her fellow nuns, who were then living in Rouen, France. After a few more years, the community finally settled in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1594.

Later Life and Legacy

Elizabeth Sander died in Lisbon on August 1, 1607. The Syon Abbey nuns eventually returned to England much later. Their community was special because it was the only English group of nuns to continue without stopping after the monasteries were closed. The community finally closed in 2011.