Seaxburg 1 (Female) Queen of Kent; abbess of Ely, c.679-c.700
m/l vii

Notes: Daughter of King Anna 1 of the East Angles and Queen of Kent until the death of her husband, King Eorcenberht 1 in 664 after which time (according to later sources) she repaired to Minster-in-Sheppey which she had founded. In 679 she succeeded her sister Æthelthryth 2 as abbess of Ely. Feast day: 6 July; translation feast: 17 October.

Factoid List

Recorded Name (3)

Sexburg (2)

Bede.HE iii.8

Bede.HE iv.19

Sexburh (1)

ASC (E) 639 EF(OE and Lat.)

Personal Information (4)

saintly status (3)

S1486 ()

Anon.LiberEliensis I preface ()

RestingPlaces 19 (saint)

stated health (1)

Anon.LiberEliensis I.34 (she fell seriously ill)

Office (6)

Abbess (4)

Bede.HE iv.19

Anon.LiberEliensis I.25 (abbess of Ely)

Anon.LiberEliensis I.36 (abbess of Sheppey)

WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.183.2

Queen (2)

Anon.LiberEliensis I.17

RestingPlaces 18

Personal Relationship (42)

Seaxburg 1 Daughter (Consanguineal kinship) of ~ (6)

of Anna 1: Bede.HE iii.8

of Anna 1: ASC (E) 639 E, 640 F(OE and Lat.)

of Anna 1: Anon.LiberEliensis I.2

of Anna 1: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.172.4

of Eorcengota 1: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.183.2

of Anna 1: RestingPlaces 19

~ Daughter (Consanguineal kinship) of Seaxburg 1 (9)

Eorcengota 1: of Seaxburg 1: Bede.HE iii.8

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: S958

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: Anon.LiberEliensis I.7

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: Anon.LiberEliensis I.15

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: Anon.LiberEliensis I.17

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.172.4

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.183.3

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: RestingPlaces 8

Eorcengota 1: of Seaxburg 1: RestingPlaces 8

Seaxburg 1 Grandmother (Consanguineal kinship) of ~ (1)

of Wærburg 4: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.172.4

Seaxburg 1 Mother (Consanguineal kinship) of ~ (1)

of Eorcengota 1: ASC (E) 639 E, 640 F(OE and Lat.)

Seaxburg 1 Sister (Consanguineal kinship) of ~ (10)

of Æthelthryth 2: Bede.HE iv.19

of Æthelthryth 2: Bede.HE iv.22

of Æthelthryth 2: S958

of Æthelthryth 2: Anon.LiberEliensis 1.2

of Æthelthryth 2: Anon.LiberEliensis I.7

of Æthelthryth 2: Anon.LiberEliensis I.15

of Æthelthryth 2: Anon.LiberEliensis I.21

of Æthelthryth 2: Anon.LiberEliensis I.25

of Æthelthryth 2: Anon.LiberEliensis I.42

of Æthelthryth 2: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.183.2

~ Sister (Consanguineal kinship) of Seaxburg 1 (2)

Æthelthryth 2: of Seaxburg 1: RestingPlaces 19

Wihtburg 1: of Seaxburg 1: RestingPlaces 19

~ Son (Consanguineal kinship) of Seaxburg 1 (4)

Hlothhere 1: of Seaxburg 1: Bede.HE iv.22

Hlothhere 1: of Seaxburg 1: Anon.LiberEliensis I.21

Ecgberht 3: of Seaxburg 1: RestingPlaces 8

Hlothhere 1: of Seaxburg 1: RestingPlaces 8

Seaxburg 1 Successor (General relationship) of ~ (1)

of Æthelthryth 2: Anon.LiberEliensis I.25

~ Successor (General relationship) of Seaxburg 1 (1)

Eormenhild 1: of Seaxburg 1: Anon.LiberEliensis I.36

Seaxburg 1 Wife (Affinal kinship) of ~ (7)

of Eorcenberht 1: Bede.HE iii.8

of Eorcenberht 1: Bede.HE iv.19

of Eorcenberht 1: Anon.LiberEliensis 1.2

of Eorcenberht 1: Anon.LiberEliensis I.25

of Eorcenberht 1: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.172.4

of Eorcenberht 1: WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum iv.183.2

of Eorcenberht 1: RestingPlaces 8

Event (12)

Appointment/consecration/elevation/ordination of abbot (2)

Seaxburg 1.appointing Eormenhild 1 abbess: Seaxburg 1 appointed her daughter Eormenhild 1 as abbess.: Anon.LiberEliensis I.15; I.18

Theodore 1.appointing Seaxburg 1 as abbess: Seaxburg 1 received the veil from Archbishop Theodore 1 in the church of Sheppey.: Anon.LiberEliensis I.36

Bequeathing/will-making (1)

Ælfflæd 13.S1486 bequeathing land to Ely 1: Ælfflæd 13 to Ely 1; bequest of Rettendon, Essex (which had been her marriage gift); Soham, Ditton and Cheveley, Cambs.; also the pair of the ring given as her lord's [Byrhtnoth 1] soul-scot: S1486 (1000 x 1002)

Building construction/restoration (1)

Seaxburg 1.building Sheppey: Seaxburg 1 built a monastery of St Mary at Sheppey, on the land which king Hlothhere 1, her son, gave her.: RestingPlaces 18

Burial (3)

Seaxburg 1.burial: Seaxburg 1 was buried behind her sister, Æthelthryth 2.: Anon.LiberEliensis I.34

Æthelthryth 2-others.burial at Ely: Æthelthryth 2, Seaxburg 1, and Eormenhild 1 were buried at Ely.: Anon.LiberEliensis I.42

Charter-witnessing (1)

S958 - Cnut 3 exchanging with to Leofric 40 and Ely 1: King Cnut 3 to Abbot Leofric 40 and Ely 1 Abbey; grant of land at Wood Ditton, Cambs., in exchange for land at Cheveley, Cambs.: S958 (1022)

Church/monastery/minster foundation/dedication/restoration (1)

Seaxburg 1.building Sheppey: Seaxburg 1 built a monastery of St Mary at Sheppey, on the land which king Hlothhere 1, her son, gave her.: RestingPlaces 18

Commemoration of the dead (1)

Dowering/Morning-gifting (1)

Exhumation (1)

Æthelthryth 2.translation: Seaxburg 1 ordered certain brothers to look for stone from which to make a new tomb for St Æthelthryth 2. The brothers bordered a boat and came to a little city called Grantchester [Grantecester] and, while they were walking around it, they soon discovered by the walls of that town a sarcophagus of white marble most beautifully equipped with a cover. When Æthelthryth 2 was exhumed her body was found to be incorrupt.: Anon.LiberEliensis I.26-27

Grant and Gift (2)

S958 - Cnut 3 exchanging with to Leofric 40 and Ely 1: King Cnut 3 to Abbot Leofric 40 and Ely 1 Abbey; grant of land at Wood Ditton, Cambs., in exchange for land at Cheveley, Cambs.: S958 (1022)

Seaxburg 1.building Sheppey: Seaxburg 1 built a monastery of St Mary at Sheppey, on the land which king Hlothhere 1, her son, gave her.: RestingPlaces 18

Journey (1)

Monastic life, converting to/joining/oblation (2)

Seaxburg 1.entering Ely under Æthelthryth 2: Seaxburg 1 went to Ely and entered the monastery under Æthelthryth 2.: Anon.LiberEliensis I.18

Theodore 1.appointing Seaxburg 1 as abbess: Seaxburg 1 received the veil from Archbishop Theodore 1 in the church of Sheppey.: Anon.LiberEliensis I.36

Property-exchanging (1)

S958 - Cnut 3 exchanging with to Leofric 40 and Ely 1: King Cnut 3 to Abbot Leofric 40 and Ely 1 Abbey; grant of land at Wood Ditton, Cambs., in exchange for land at Cheveley, Cambs.: S958 (1022)

Relics-incorrupt preservation/placing in reliquary/requesting/translating (2)

Æthelthryth 2.post-mortem miracle of incorrupt body: Æthelthryth 2's flesh would not corrupt after she was buried.: Bede.HE iv.19

Tomb-making/opening (1)

Seaxburg 1 (Female) Queen of Kent; abbess of Ely, c.679-c.700 m/l vii

Factoid List

Seaxburg 1 (Female) Queen of Kent; abbess of Ely, c.679-c.700
m/l vii