Eadfrith of Leominster also known as Eadridus (died 675) was a seventh century Catholic saint from Anglo-Saxon England. Although very little is known of his early life, he is an important figure in the process of Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England.
Eadfrith came from Northumbria and worked as a missionary to the Hwicce kingdom and in 660 converted King Merewalh of the Hwicce, a contemporary (and possibly son) of King Penda of Mercia.
Around 660 Eadfrith also founded Leominster Abbey for women, as a conventual priory of the monks of Reading Abbey. This abbey was mentioned in the Domesday Book and was re-founded about 1139. at which time it may have been associated with the royal family.
Eadfrith is known to history mainly through the hagiography of the Secgan Manuscript, but also the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Catalogus sanctorum pausantium in Anglia.
Eadfrith died in 675 and was buried in Leominster. His feast day is on 26 October.
References
- The Oxford Dictionary of Saints
- Patrick Sims-Williams, Religion and Literature in Western England, 600-800 (Cambridge University Press, 2005) p 101.
- Kentish royal legend.
- Patrick Sims-Williams, Religion and Literature in Western England, 600-800 (Cambridge University Press, 2005) p55.
- Gerarld Alymer, Hereford Cathedral (Continuum, 2000) p.4
- Sarah Foot, Veiled Women, vol. 1, and vol. 2 103-107(Ashgate, 2000)
- J. & C. Hillaby, Leominster Minster, Priory, and Borough c.660-1539 (Logaston Press, Almeley, Herefs. 2006), p53.
- Leominster Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine at monasticmatrix.com.
- Gerarld Alymer, Hereford Cathedral (Continuum, 2000) p.4
- Stowe MS 944, British Library
- Anglo-Saxon Chronicle manuscript C (1046).
- British Library MS Harley 3776, fos. 118-127
- Eadfrid at Book of Saints, 1921.
- St. Eadfrid at Catholic.org