Osburh of Coventry
Osburh (or Osburga) was a Saint in Coventry, probably Anglo-Saxon but see below. Nothing about her life has survived to the present day. Her mortal remains were enshrined at Coventry.[1] Close to the Forest of Arden, Coventry was at that time a tiny settlement.
When did she live?
There are two versions of when Osburh lived. From Butler's Lives of the Saints,[2] and the nineteenth century book by Stanton,[3] David Farmer[4] suggests that Osburh died around 1018 CE, having been, from its inception, abbess of a convent founded by King Cnut two years earlier.
However, it is nowadays suspected that Osburh's cult predates the Viking Age.[1] A Saxon nunnery was founded around 700 CE by Osburh,[5] destroyed by King Cnut in 1016. This stood in the vicinity of St. Mary's Priory. Around the Saxon nunnery, Coventry gradually developed as a town, though settlement in the area dates back to the Iron Age.[6] A 14th-century note in MS Bodley 438 mentions an early nunnery at Coventry.[7] The 15th-century writer John Rous related that Cnut the Great destroyed the old Coventry minster, and referred to the "holy virgin Osburga now laid there in a noble shrine".[8] The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the devastation of neighbouring Warwickshire in 1016, so Cnut's having attacked a convent at Coventry is credible.[7]
The Earl Leofric's 1043 Coventry charter relates that the abbey in those days was already dedicated to Osburh (as well as St Mary, St Peter and All Saints), though the addition of Osburh could conceivably have been at some point in the previous 27 years, after 1016.[7] According to Stanton's listing for 30 March, the nuns were expelled in 1045. Later, a new foundation for men was established on the site by Leofric and his wife Godiva.
Persistent cult
Osburh's shrine became the place of many miracles. In 1410 the clergy and people addressed a petition to Bishop Leterich, to ask that her festival might be observed. The Bishop assembied his synod and decreed that the festival of St. Osburh should be observed throughout the archdeaconry of Coventry.
Osburh is mentioned in the 13th-century Scandinavian Ribe Martyrology, which gives 21 January as her feast-day, but nowadays it is 30 March.[1]
Relics
The remains of Osburh were said to rest at Coventry in the 12th-century resting-place list of Hugh Candidus.[7] Initially the location was the south transept of the post-Conquest monastery church of Coventry. Within the monastery, her relics were translated in 1482. Destroyed during the sixteenth-century Reformation, when the monastery was dissolved,[9] was a splendid shrine with relics, along with Osburh's head enclosed in copper and gold (description in 1539).[10]
Veneration
Coventry's devotion to St Osburh endured well beyond the Reformation. In the archdiocese of Birmingham on 30 March, the feast of St Osburh is still retained.
Legacy
Dedicated to St Osburh is St Osburg's Church[11] in Coventry.
In the south aisle of St Osburg's Church[12] is a stained-glass window[13] in honour of St Osburh. She is also commemorated in the 'West Screen' window[14] engraved by the New Zealand-born artist John Hutton at Coventry Cathedral.[15]
Named after St Osburh is Saint Osburg's Catholic Primary School in Coventry.[16]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c Blair, "Handlist", p. 548
- ^ Butler. Butler's Lives Of The Saints Complete Edition.
- ^ Stanton, Richard (1892). A menology of England and Wales, or, Brief memorials of the ancient British and English saints arranged according to the calendar, together with the martyrs of the 16th and 17th centuries. University of California Libraries. London ; New York : Bunrs & Oates.
- ^ Farmer DH. (2011) Oxford Dictionary of Saints. 5th Ed. Revd. Oxford University Press. Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-959660-7.
- ^ Bassett S. (2001) Anglo-Saxon Coventry and Its Churches. Volume 41 of Dugdale Society occasional papers: Dugdale Society. Northwestern University Press. ISBN 9780852200780.
- ^ "Prehistory - The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum". www.theherbert.org. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ a b c d Baxter, Earls of Mercia, p. 161
- ^ Baxter, Earls of Mercia, p. 160; Blair, "Handlist", p. 548
- ^ "Ruins of St. Mary's Priory Cathedral". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ Blair, "Handlist", p. 548; the saint was thought to be male and called 'Osburn'
- ^ "St Osburg's – Catholic Church, Coventry". Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ "Coventry - St Osburg". Warwickshire Churches. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ "Leo Earley - Biography". www.askart.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ https://www.coventrysociety.org.uk/public-art-in-coventry/john-hutton-screen/. https://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/locations/west-screen
- ^ Thomson, Aidan McRae (2018-02-24), St Osburga, retrieved 2024-04-11
- ^ "Home | St Osburg's Catholic Primary School". www.st-osburgs.coventry.sch.uk. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
References
- Baxter, Stephen (2007), The Earls of Mercia: Lordship and Power in Late Anglo-Saxon England, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-923098-3
- Blair, John (2002), "A Handlist of Anglo-Saxon Saints", in Thacker, Alan; Sharpe, Richard (eds.), Local Saints and Local Churches in the Early Medieval West, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 495–565, ISBN 0-19-820394-2
- v
- t
- e
- Aldate of Oxford
- Barloc of Norbury
- Brannoc of Braunton
- Branwalator of Milton
- Credan of Bodmin
- Congar of Congresbury
- Dachuna of Bodmin
- Decuman of Watchet
- Elfin of Warrington
- Ivo of Ramsey
- Judoc of Winchester
- Melorius of Amesbury
- Nectan of Hartland
- Neot of Cornwall
- Patrick of Glastonbury
- Rumon of Tavistock
- Samson of Dol
- Sativola of Exeter
- Æthelberht of East Anglia
- Æthelburh of Faremoutiers
- Æthelflæd of Ramsey
- Æthelthryth of Ely
- Æthelwine of Lindsey
- Athwulf of Thorney
- Blida of Martham
- Botwulf of Thorney
- Cissa of Crowland
- Cuthbald of Peterborough
- Eadmund of East Anglia
- Eadnoth of Ramsey
- Guthlac of Crowland
- Herefrith of Thorney
- Hiurmine of Blythburgh
- Huna of Thorney
- Pega of Peakirk
- Seaxburh of Ely
- Sigeberht of East Anglia
- Tancred of Thorney
- Torthred of Thorney
- Tova of Thorney
- Walstan of Bawburgh
- Wendreda
- Wihtburh of Ely
- Wulfric of Holme
Frankish
and Old Saxon
- Balthild of Romsey
- Bertha of Kent
- Felix of Dommoc
- Helier of Jersey
- Grimbald of St Bertin
- Monegunda of Watton
- Odwulf of Evesham
- Wulfram of Grantham
- Æbbe of Thanet (Domne Eafe)
- Æthelberht of Kent
- Æthelburh of Kent
- Æthelred of Kent
- Albinus of Canterbury
- Berhtwald of Canterbury
- Deusdedit of Canterbury
- Edburga of Minster-in-Thanet
- Eanswith of Folkestone
- Eormengyth of Thanet
- Mildrith of Thanet
- Nothhelm of Canterbury
- Sigeburh of Thanet
- Ælfnoth of Stowe
- Ælfthryth of Crowland
- Æthelberht of Bedford
- Æthelmod of Leominster
- Æthelred of Mercia
- Æthelwynn of Sodbury
- Aldwyn of Coln
- Beonna of Breedon
- Beorhthelm of Stafford
- Coenwulf of Mercia
- Cotta of Breedon
- Credan of Evesham
- Cyneburh of Castor
- Cyneburh of Gloucester
- Cynehelm of Winchcombe
- Cyneswith of Peterborough
- Eadburh of Bicester
- Eadburh of Pershore
- Eadburh of Southwell
- Eadgyth of Aylesbury
- Eadweard of Maugersbury
- Ealdgyth of Stortford
- Earconwald of London
- Egwin of Evesham
- Freomund of Mercia
- Frithuric of Breedon
- Frithuswith of Oxford
- Frithuwold of Chertsey
- Hæmma of Leominster
- Merefin
- Mildburh of Wenlock
- Mildgyth
- Mildrith of Thanet
- Milred of Worcester
- Oda of Canterbury
- Oswald of Worcester
- Osburh of Coventry
- Regenhere of Northampton
- Rumbold of Buckingham
- Tibba of Ryhall
- Werburgh of Chester
- Wærstan
- Wigstan of Repton
- Wulfhild of Barking
- Acca of Hexham
- Æbbe "the Elder" of Coldingham
- Æbbe "the Younger" of Coldingham
- Ælfflæd of Whitby
- Ælfwald of Northumbria
- Æthelburh of Hackness
- Æthelgyth of Coldingham
- Æthelsige of Ripon
- Æthelwold of Farne
- Æthelwold of Lindisfarne
- Alchhild of Middleham
- Alchmund of Hexham
- Alkmund of Derby
- Balthere of Tyningham
- Beda of Jarrow
- Bega of Copeland
- Benedict Biscop
- Bercthun of Beverley
- Billfrith of Lindisfarne
- Bosa of York
- Botwine of Ripon
- Ceadda of Lichfield
- Cedd of Lichfield
- Ceolfrith of Monkwearmouth
- Ceolwulf of Northumbria
- Cuthbert of Durham
- Dryhthelm of Melrose
- Eadberht of Lindisfarne
- Eadfrith of Leominster
- Eadfrith of Lindisfarne
- Eadwine of Northumbria
- Ealdberht of Ripon
- Eanmund
- Eardwulf of Northumbria
- Eata of Hexham
- Ecgberht of Ripon
- Eoda
- Eosterwine of Monkwearmouth
- Hilda of Whitby
- Hyglac
- Iwig of Wilton
- John of Beverley
- Osana of Howden
- Osthryth of Bardney
- Oswald of Northumbria
- Oswine of Northumbria
- Sicgred of Ripon
- Sigfrith of Monkwearmouth
- Tatberht of Ripon
- Wihtberht of Ripon
- Wilfrith of Hexham
- Wilfrith II
- Wilgils of Ripon
- Æbbe of Abingdon
- Ælfgar of Selwood
- Ælfgifu of Exeter
- Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury
- Ælfheah of Canterbury
- Ælfheah of Winchester
- Æthelflæd of Romsey
- Æthelgar of Canterbury
- Æthelnoth of Canterbury
- Æthelwine of Athelney
- Æthelwold of Winchester
- Aldhelm of Sherborne
- Benignus of Glastonbury
- Beocca of Chertsey
- Beorhthelm of Shaftesbury
- Beornstan of Winchester
- Beornwald of Bampton
- Centwine of Wessex
- Cuthburh of Wimborn
- Cwenburh of Wimborne
- Dunstan of Canterbury
- Eadburh of Winchester
- Eadgar of England
- Eadgyth of Polesworth
- Eadgyth of Wilton
- Eadweard the Confessor
- Eadweard the Martyr
- Eadwold of Cerne
- Earmund of Stoke Fleming
- Edor of Chertsey
- Evorhilda
- Frithestan of Winchester
- Hædde of Winchester
- Humbert of Stokenham
- Hwita of Whitchurch Canonicorum
- Mærwynn of Romsey
- Margaret of Dunfermline
- Swithhun of Winchester
- Wulfsige of Sherborne
- Wulfthryth of Wilton