St Osyth, the Headless Saint

A Saxon princess refused to worship the Danes' gods and lost her head for it. That was not the end of her walk.

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Saint

The Headless Saint

She carried her own head to the church door and knocked.

Stand where it happened

What's there: Medieval priory gatehouse; well hidden in private woodland
Legend from: Anglo-Saxon, 7th century
Tone: Eerie

SaintsHeadlessHoly wells

Before you go

The priory is privately owned; the gatehouse can be seen from The Bury. The well is in Nun's Wood in the estate, and no access information was found, so check before you go.

St Osyth Priory and Nun's Wood
Near The Bury
The pin is approximate.
Date7 October (feast day of St Osyth)

St Osyth: a beheaded princess picked up her own head here and walked to the church door.

Osyth was an East Anglian princess who founded a nunnery at Chich, the place now named after her. In the legend, Danish raiders led by Inguar and Hubba seized her and ordered her to worship their gods. When she refused, they cut off her head. Osyth then stood up, picked up her head, and walked to the church door, where she knocked three times before she fell. A spring burst from the ground where her head landed. It became Nun's Well, said to heal, at the edge of Nun's Wood by the priory. Some say her spirit hovers near it, or a headless figure walks there.

Sources

Legends nearby

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