In a diary that chronicled events and personages connected with the days of the year, I spotted that today was linked with the Christian saint Osyth, who was a minor Saxon Princess who died around the year 700.
She married a sub-King of East Anglia, (who seemed unworthy of being named, at least in the account that I was reading), and founded a nunnery at what is now St. Osyth (funnily enough) in Essex. According to an unreliable biography she was killed by robbers, but if you are of the type who needs substantiated facts, I’m afraid that the famous-as-well-as-venerable Bede does not give her a mention.
Osyth’s nunnery died out, but was re-founded as an Augustine monastery, containing her shrine, in the early 12th century.
I love the old legends that permeate these islands, especially those that concern (perhaps) historical figures partly obscured by the myths and mists of time.
There are various fantastical events surrounding St. Osyth, and some of them are just perfect for this time of year, as the nights draw in and Halloween approaches:
**when she was young she drowned in a stream, but revived after nuns from a local convent prayed for her for three days. (If this was a time-travel story, they would be from the nunnery that Osyth founded in the future. Did Osyth found the nunnery in gratitude to those nuns who resurrected her as a child? Or did the nuns travel back to save the child in gratitude to the adult who established their nunnery? Then again, if she died as a child she wouldn’t have created their nunnery. I’m confusing myself, let’s leave science fiction out of it.)
**she was executed by beheading; where she fell a spring issued forth from the ground. She picked up her severed head and walked to the door of the nunnery where she knocked three times before collapsing. (Knock knock knock. “Who’s there?” “Osyth.” “Osyth who?” “Oh syth down, I’m dead anyway.”)
**her ghost walks along the priory walls, carrying her head, one night each year. (I would guess that would be tonight, then? Anyone up for a vigil?)
The place name of St.Osyth rang some bells for me, so I looked it up.
The village was a focus for witch persecutions in the 16th and 17th centuries, ten local women being hanged. In 1921 the skeletons of two women were unearthed in a garden, one of them claimed to be the first of the women that was tried for witchcraft. I hadn’t heard this story before.
Then I found the source of my familiarity:
In 2012 there were reports of a lion being sighted near the village. After twenty four hours, an armed search was called off.
Is it safe to come out yet?
Beheadings; ghosts; witches; skeletons; lions: I’m packing my bags now. It sounds like a great place to live!
Part of its beach being used for nudist bathing doesn’t come into it.
Must go now, someone has just knocked on my door three times. I’ve looked through the spy hole but cannot see anybody there. At least no-one at head height.
Hi Andy,
I am pretty familiar with St Osyth having once spent a month there having some work done on Free at Andy Harman’s yard (2011). Why a whole month, you may ask? Well you can only reach it on high Spring tides of which there are two per month! It dries out at 4 metres at low water, which is incredible. While i was there, some one was trying to sell the Priory to developers and there was an unpleasant feud going on in the village. I have to say that it had a bit of a ‘Straw Dogs’ feel to it and i was glad to make the second spring tide and return to Colchester where I was wintering. Nearby is the very scary Jaywick holiday resort where fights occur at regular intervals and only the tough survive! And then… Clacton on Sea 😳😱 (Need i say more?)
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🙂 You should record your sailing experiences in a book. I’d read it!
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I have, Andy… check out blog under ‘Poppy’s Autobiography: Tickling the Eagle! I’d give you a free copy if I could!
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I can’t access your blog-had same problem yesterday. Says it has been deleted?
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Strange! Try,via Google. Type,in Vkimg queen poppy.
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I still can’t access your blog on here, but I can by googling. Don’t know why…
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Sometimes WordPress confounds me. For some reason, I had to re-follow you! And what would life be like without the Mancunian Postie?😉
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Well, ex-postie, my knees will vouch for that! These Gremlins still won’t let me go to your blog on here. See what happens with your next post.
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How strange! Did you manage to reach my book at Lulu.com?
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I just have! Do you a deal: I’ll buy yours if you buy mine 🙂
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One problem… I have no postal address! Is there an ebook?
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Don’t worry about it-it’s not even out yet 🙂
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Oh, you tease!
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🙂 It was meant to be out towards the end of this month, but I’m thinking now it’s more likely to be November.
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I rewrote Tickling the Eagle so many times that I never thought it would be finished! Now I have the same problem with the second book. I understand fully. The voyage was in 2008 and it wasn’t released until 2012.
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Just an unforeseen hitch on the editor’s part. I’m remaining patient..ish!
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Your book has arrived. I have just started reading Empire Falls, so I will read it after that.
Ps WordPress still tells me that you have deleted your site. Conspiracy theory?
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It’s rubbish. I just posted my latest… I don’t understand why.
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Your book is rubbish? Now you tell me!
(Don’t worry, I understand what you mean 🙂 shall see if your post still shows in my feed.)
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You have a quirky sense of humour Andy!
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Don’t worry about that-I’ve just ordered it.
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I’d like to give it as a gift, Andy, but it starts getting complicated, especially if you’re as technically inept as me!
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I am!
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Here are two photos of St Osyth at Andy’s Yard.
Poppy
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Can’t view them-maybe because I’m on my iPad rather than PC?
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Sorry Andy, it was 2010.
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Wow! What a fascinating story, Andy! And it’s great that Viking Queen has written extensively about this.
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It is. I shall seek it out.
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