St Etheldreda

The Cathedral at Ely is dedicated to St Etheldreda (636-679), and special services are held to mark the anniversary of her death (23 June). On the nearest Saturday (in recent years) a procession (with music) has been held to mark the events in her life.

The procession is intended to start from the river and work its way to the cathedral, and the key players, and musicians, dress appropriately. Not too many people have proper Saxon garb, so a variety of ages are represented, including the modern for those without local costumiers.

Etheldreda was an incredible woman, her early life, as would have been expected in those times, included marriage to the local king to establish a political union, and when he died she was married to the Prince of Northumbria, the most powerful kingdom in England. Eventually, though, she fled back to Ely where she founded a double monastery, to which many came as nuns, and also many men and priests came to take her as their holy guide.

And the Church of England still has problems with women as priests, and won’t consecrate them as Bishops, yet ….

Some of the music at the event was provided by the Ely Waits (waits are civic or town musicians, and exist in many places across England). The Waits play sackbuts (precursor of the modern trombone), shawms (which led to the oboe), recorders and drums under the leadership of Tony Pearson.

There were many people following the procession around the Cathedral (since it was pouring with rain, which would have dampened the performances and the spectators alike) including the Mayor of Ely, Cllr Sheila Friend-Smith.

I always find it odd that City (or Town) Mayors are just Parish Council chairmen – yet get treated in such a different manner. They also have a much nicer set of robes, and chain – I was dressed as Little John – quite effective (or so I’m told, sorry there’s no picture), way out of date (12th/13th century rather than 7th) but fun and seemingly accepted by visitors to the cathedral as the norm ….

Still looking for a decent quarter staff to go with that (can you help?) -