Edith of Polesworth

Edith of Polesworth, also known as Editha or Eadgyth, was an Anglo-Saxon abbess associated with Polesworth in Warwickshire and Tamworth in Staffordshire, located in the region of Mercia. The precise details of her historical identity and the period in which she flourished are not well-established. There are conflicting accounts regarding her parentage; some sources suggest she was a daughter of King Edward the Elder, while others propose she was the daughter of Egbert of Wessex. Her feast day is observed on 15 July.

Traditions from the 12th century claim Edith was a sister of King Æthelstan and was given in marriage to Sihtric Cáech, a Hiberno-Scandinavian king. The marriage is believed to have remained unconsummated, and after Sihtric’s death, Edith returned south to establish a nunnery at Polesworth. She spent the remainder of her life there, devoted to her faith. Her burial place is noted at Polesworth, and she is commemorated in several churches around the Midlands, including the notable Polesworth Abbey and the Collegiate Church of Tamworth.