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Ælfthryth of Crowland
Mercian saint
SaintResearchedKingdom of MerciaBenedictinesPre-congregation
Feast: 2 August (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
701
Died
834
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
Alfrida, daughter of King Offa of Mercia, is said in a late legend to have been betrothed to St Ethelbert of East Anglia, who was murdered at her father's court.
She then withdrew to the marshes of Crowland, where she was enclosed in a cell and lived as a recluse until her death.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: she has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
A princess who became a recluse.
Connected on this site
- Æthelberht II Saint“Ælfthryth was "either betrothed to or loved by" Æthelberht II, the king of the East Angles.” — Wikipedia
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Alfrida
- Wikidata Q2481162 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Ælfthryth of Crowland (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.