Osburh of Coventry
Encyclopedia
Osburh was an Anglo-Saxon saint who rested at Coventry Cathedral
. Although there is some tradition holding her to be an early 11th-century abbess
of Coventry Abbey, it is suspected that her cult predates the Viking Age
.
A 14th-century note in MS Bodley 438 mentions an early nunnery at Coventry. The 15th-century writer John Rous
related that Cnut the Great destroyed the old Coventry minster, and noted that the "holy virgin Osburga now laid there in a noble shrine" (probably lay in the south transept of the church). As the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
records the devastation of neighbouring Warwickshire
in 1016, Cnut's attack on a monastery at Coventry is possible.
Leofric's 1043 Coventry charter relates that the abbey was dedicated to Osburh (as well as St Mary, St Peter and All Saints), though this could potentially be a later addition. Osburh was said to rest at Coventry in the 12th-century resting-place list of Hugh Candidus
.
She is mentioned the 13th-century Scandinavian Ribe Martyrology, which gives 21 January as her feast-day. According to a description of Coventry's relics made in 1539, her head was enclosed with copper and gold.
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
. Although there is some tradition holding her to be an early 11th-century abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of Coventry Abbey, it is suspected that her cult predates the Viking Age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
.
A 14th-century note in MS Bodley 438 mentions an early nunnery at Coventry. The 15th-century writer John Rous
John Rous
John Rous was the senior naval officer on the Nova Scotia station during Father Le Loutre's War . He made a significant contribution to the preservation of Halifax and the defeat of the French, Acadian and Mi'kmaq resistance...
related that Cnut the Great destroyed the old Coventry minster, and noted that the "holy virgin Osburga now laid there in a noble shrine" (probably lay in the south transept of the church). As the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...
records the devastation of neighbouring Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
in 1016, Cnut's attack on a monastery at Coventry is possible.
Leofric's 1043 Coventry charter relates that the abbey was dedicated to Osburh (as well as St Mary, St Peter and All Saints), though this could potentially be a later addition. Osburh was said to rest at Coventry in the 12th-century resting-place list of Hugh Candidus
Hugh Candidus
Hugh Candidus was a monk of the Benedictine monastery at Peterborough, who wrote a Medieval Latin account of its history, from its foundation as Medeshamstede in the mid 7th century up to the mid 12th century.-Life:...
.
She is mentioned the 13th-century Scandinavian Ribe Martyrology, which gives 21 January as her feast-day. According to a description of Coventry's relics made in 1539, her head was enclosed with copper and gold.