About Saint Etheldreda:
Saint Etheldreda (also known as Æthelthryth, Ethelreda, Audrey, or Aethelthryth) was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess, queen, and abbess who became one of the most venerated female saints in English history. Born around 636 (likely in Exning, Suffolk) as a daughter of King Anna of East Anglia, she lived during the early Christianization of England and is remembered for her lifelong commitment to virginity, piety, and founding the monastery at Ely.
Her life story, primarily recorded by the Venerable Bede in his “Ecclesiastical History of the English People”, highlights her dedication to a religious vocation despite political pressures: She was first married young (around 652) to Tondberht, an ealdorman of the South Gyrwas, but the marriage was never consummated due to her vow of perpetual virginity. She received the Isle of Ely as a dowry. After Tondberht’s death around 655, she briefly lived in retirement there.
For political reasons, her family arranged a second marriage to Ecgfrith (Egfrid), heir to the Northumbrian throne (she became Queen of Northumbria when he succeeded in 670). Ecgfrith was much younger, and she maintained her virginity in this marriage as well, living chastely. When Ecgfrith pressed for conjugal rights, she sought counsel from Saint Wilfrid of York (who refused to annul her vow despite bribes).
Eventually, she received permission to enter religious life, first at the nunnery at Coldingham under her aunt Saint Ebba.
Fearing pursuit by her husband, she fled south (tradition says aided by miraculous tides that blocked her pursuers) and returned to Ely, where she founded a double monastery (for monks and nuns) around 673, becoming its first abbess. She lived an austere life of prayer, charity, and simplicity, often wearing wool and avoiding luxuries.
She died on June 23, 679 AD (her feast day), at about age 43, reportedly from a neck tumor—which she accepted as penance for her youthful fondness for necklaces and fine adornments.
When her body was translated (moved) 16 years later, it was found incorrupt. Miracles, especially healings related to throat ailments, were attributed to her intercession. Her shrine at Ely became a major pilgrimage site until the Reformation, when it was destroyed (though Ely Cathedral still honors her legacy).
Interestingly, the English word “tawdry” derives from “St. Audrey’s lace”—cheap, showy necklaces and lace sold at fairs on her feast day in medieval Ely, which became synonymous with gaudy or cheap finery.
A relic of her hand (rediscovered in the 19th century) is venerated here at St Etheldreda’s Church.
She’s a powerful example of faithfulness to one’s vocation amid worldly demands, and remains a patron against throat complaints. Her story continues to inspire in both Catholic and Orthodox traditions (commemorated June 23 in the West, July 6 in some Eastern calendars).
About Saint Etheldreda’s Roman Catholic Church in Ely Place, London:
This beautiful medieval building dates back to between 1250 and 1290, making it one of only two remaining structures in London from the reign of King Edward I. Originally built as the private chapel for the Bishops of Ely’s London residence (Ely Palace), it has a rich and varied history: It served as a chapel for powerful figures, including during visits by royalty like Henry VIII.
After the Reformation, it was used for Anglican worship, then briefly as an embassy chapel for the Spanish ambassador (allowing secret Catholic Masses), then a tavern (in the crypt) and even a prison during the English Civil War.
The palace was largely demolished in the 1770s, but the chapel survived. In the 17th century, when Catholicism was illegal, Mass was again offered there under the protection of the Spanish Embassy. English Catholics slipped quietly through its doors while the Penal Laws raged.
It reverted to Catholic use in 1873 when purchased by Father William Lockhart (a convert from Anglicanism), and was restored by architect George Gilbert Scott to reflect its 13th-century Gothic style. In 1874 the Rosminian Fathers restored it formally to Catholic use. It suffered bomb damage during the Blitz in 1941 but was repaired.
The building features stunning Gothic architecture with a soaring vaulted ceiling, intricate stonework, and vibrant stained-glass windows (many from the 19th-20th centuries depicting saints, biblical scenes, and the Trinity).
Statues along each side of the Upper Church testify to the men and women of the district who stayed loyal to their ancient faith and who became martyrs.
The crypt contains statues of English Catholic martyrs and a relic of Saint Etheldreda’s hand.
It’s a peaceful oasis amid bustling central London, popular for weekday Masses, weddings, and quiet reflection.
Traveling to Saint Etheldreda’s Church in London, England:
By train (underground): Saint Etheldreda’s Church just a short walk from Farringdon station.
Phone: 020-7405-1061
Click here for the official website of Saint Etheldreda’s Catholic Church in London, England.