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Etheldreda
Etheldreda, Princess of East Anglia, Queen of Northumbria and Abbess of Ely, was a remarkable woman who lived in restless, violent times when old beliefs were dying and new ones were struggling to emerge. Pagan clashed with Christian as the seven kingdoms of the Germanic tribes warred against each other and against the native Celts. Occasionally an uneasy peace was bought by the skilful use of the 'diplomatic marriage', and twice Etheldreda, though vowed to chastity, submitted to marriage for political reasons. When her second husband refused to accept the 'arrangement' between them, she fled south to the Island of Ely. But this is not just the story of a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon saint. It is about the general human struggle to comprehend the enigma of existence and to come to terms with Christ's God, faced as we are by a violent and cruel world. This edition also contains several pages of chronology, genealogy, place names, notes and a map.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 1987
3 people are currently reading
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About the author
Moyra Caldecott
61 books29 followersStarted academic career by obtaining degrees in English Literature and Philosophy.
* Briefly lectured in English Literature at university level.
* Raised three children and had a most interesting and stimulating life as the wife of Oliver Caldecott in London from 1951 to 1989. (Oliver was an editor at Penguin, Readers Union, and Hutchinson and founded his own publishing firm Wildwood House with his partner Dieter Pevsner. His last editorial post was at Rider, for Century Hutchinson. He was also a very good artist.)
* Took evening classes in palaeontology (geology always a favourite subject), religious studies and mythology.
* Was secretary of the Dulwich Group in the ’sixties, a most successful poetry reading group. Read a lot. Wrote books. Met many interesting people and had many interesting discussions. Travelled a lot.
* Her life has also been enriched by the interests of her children: Religion – Conservation – Art.
* She has had various experiences she considers to be ‘paranormal’, including a dramatic healing from angina. She gives talks to various personal growth and consciousness raising groups, and groups interested in the ancient sacred sites of Britain.
* Her most successful book so far, Guardians Of The Tall Stones, is set in ancient Bronze Age Britain, and is required reading for some groups visiting the sacred sites of Britain from America. It has been in print continuously since 1977.
* Myths and legends are a particular passion and she follows Jung and Joseph Campbell in believing that they are not ‘just’ stories but actually deep and meaningful expressions of the universal and eternal in the human psyche.
* Briefly lectured in English Literature at university level.
* Raised three children and had a most interesting and stimulating life as the wife of Oliver Caldecott in London from 1951 to 1989. (Oliver was an editor at Penguin, Readers Union, and Hutchinson and founded his own publishing firm Wildwood House with his partner Dieter Pevsner. His last editorial post was at Rider, for Century Hutchinson. He was also a very good artist.)
* Took evening classes in palaeontology (geology always a favourite subject), religious studies and mythology.
* Was secretary of the Dulwich Group in the ’sixties, a most successful poetry reading group. Read a lot. Wrote books. Met many interesting people and had many interesting discussions. Travelled a lot.
* Her life has also been enriched by the interests of her children: Religion – Conservation – Art.
* She has had various experiences she considers to be ‘paranormal’, including a dramatic healing from angina. She gives talks to various personal growth and consciousness raising groups, and groups interested in the ancient sacred sites of Britain.
* Her most successful book so far, Guardians Of The Tall Stones, is set in ancient Bronze Age Britain, and is required reading for some groups visiting the sacred sites of Britain from America. It has been in print continuously since 1977.
* Myths and legends are a particular passion and she follows Jung and Joseph Campbell in believing that they are not ‘just’ stories but actually deep and meaningful expressions of the universal and eternal in the human psyche.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 22, 2023
I bought this on a recent visit to Ely Cathedral which has an exhibition about their foundress, Etheldreda’s, life.
The book gives Etheldreda substance and character. Her decision to remain celibate, despite 2 marriages, is shown as genuine piety and not all that easy for her. Becoming a nun was probably the safest option for women in the 7th century when childbirth was perilous but that shouldn’t detract from those who chose the role for faith reasons.
Britain was made up of many kingdoms and had many kings at the time - all fighting for more land and influence, all using their daughters to try and make alliances through marriage. I got quite confused by who was who and how they were related. The family trees at the back helped but I think maybe some of the more minor players in Etheldreda’s story could have been omitted to give greater clarity to the reader. Most of us are not experts on the 7th century!
The book gives Etheldreda substance and character. Her decision to remain celibate, despite 2 marriages, is shown as genuine piety and not all that easy for her. Becoming a nun was probably the safest option for women in the 7th century when childbirth was perilous but that shouldn’t detract from those who chose the role for faith reasons.
Britain was made up of many kingdoms and had many kings at the time - all fighting for more land and influence, all using their daughters to try and make alliances through marriage. I got quite confused by who was who and how they were related. The family trees at the back helped but I think maybe some of the more minor players in Etheldreda’s story could have been omitted to give greater clarity to the reader. Most of us are not experts on the 7th century!
December 28, 2018
An interesting story about an early Anglo-Saxon Saint. Etheldreda was a little insufferable in some places though.
I understand her vow of chastity was part of her sanctity, but honestly the woman was married twice after taking the vow! Not after having been married years and had many children, like other Medieval women who took similar vows, and I think that placed her husband in an untenable situation.
Anyway, and worthwhile reprint of a novel written in the 1970s. Some parts reflected the time, but it was an interesting portrayal of Christianity and its growth in early Medieval Britain.
I understand her vow of chastity was part of her sanctity, but honestly the woman was married twice after taking the vow! Not after having been married years and had many children, like other Medieval women who took similar vows, and I think that placed her husband in an untenable situation.
Anyway, and worthwhile reprint of a novel written in the 1970s. Some parts reflected the time, but it was an interesting portrayal of Christianity and its growth in early Medieval Britain.
January 20, 2014
Hah! This was pretty bad, but surprisingly good for a terrible historical novella. I had some historical issues, as expected - the one which comes to mind is the fact that all the depicted royals have church weddings. NOT ACTUALLY A THING AT THIS STAGE.
As a story... I'm actually surprised with how well-paced the narrative was. It felt stilted at first and in a few other places, but for something patched together from Bede, hagiography and the Chronicle, it wasn't bad!
What I liked best about it is that I could tell that Caldecott was fascinated with some of the same features of Anglo-Saxon history at this period as I: the complex back-and-forth of conversion; the incredibly interlinked royal politics and family trees producing a cast of interesting characters who crop up everywhere; and the scheming machinations of Archbiship Wilfrid. I don't grok her characterisation of him - my head!canon Wilfrid is older, pricklier, and less soppy about Etheldreda - but hers does fit. I'd have made more of the hilarious back-and-forth Aelfric depicts between Etheldreda, Wilfrid, and Ecgfrid, with the two royals each bribing him to be on their side: but hers does fit.
Having said that, the weird not-specifically-christian spiritualist bent was, well, weird. And lead to historically inaccurate theology in places.
As a story... I'm actually surprised with how well-paced the narrative was. It felt stilted at first and in a few other places, but for something patched together from Bede, hagiography and the Chronicle, it wasn't bad!
What I liked best about it is that I could tell that Caldecott was fascinated with some of the same features of Anglo-Saxon history at this period as I: the complex back-and-forth of conversion; the incredibly interlinked royal politics and family trees producing a cast of interesting characters who crop up everywhere; and the scheming machinations of Archbiship Wilfrid. I don't grok her characterisation of him - my head!canon Wilfrid is older, pricklier, and less soppy about Etheldreda - but hers does fit. I'd have made more of the hilarious back-and-forth Aelfric depicts between Etheldreda, Wilfrid, and Ecgfrid, with the two royals each bribing him to be on their side: but hers does fit.
Having said that, the weird not-specifically-christian spiritualist bent was, well, weird. And lead to historically inaccurate theology in places.
January 1, 2010
This was my very first e-book. I chose it because I wanted to get away from Fantasy Novels (I am reading a lot of them to keep up with my students)and I also wanted to learn more about the Dark Ages in Britain. Etheldreda (better known in these days as St. Audrey) was, well, boring. While I understand the historical significance of a Christian saint in what was a very heathen nation, her vows of chastity in spite of marrying two very patient men was a little over the top. She had no flaws. And her second husband was villified when he wanted more than a handshake after 15 years of marriage. I'm thinking that maybe her first husband should have been declared a saint. I wanted to find out more about life during this age, but other than focusing on Etheldreda's great and numerous virtues, there wasn't much here I didn't already know. I'm glad this was a short book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews