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29 October 2014

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St Edmund

You are in: Suffolk > People > St Edmund > St Edmund: Locals Campaign

Julie and her husband, Tim.

Julie and her husband, Tim.

St Edmund: Locals Campaign

The people of Hoxne have joined ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Suffolk's campaign to make St Edmund the patron saint of England.

The village has always claimed to be the true place of his death and martyrdom and people here also believe a local bridge is where St Edmund tried to hide from the Danes in AD 870, before being denounced by a passing bridal party.

Julie Craven lives in Hoxne and is the former Assistant County archivist - she has researched the area's links to St Edmund and she says, according to most of the historical records she's seen, Hoxne has the greatest claim to be the place where St Edmund was killed.

The stone cross

The stone cross

The village has always claimed to be the true place of his death and martyrdom and people here also believe a local bridge is where St Edmund tried to hide from the Danes in AD 870, before
being denounced by a passing bridal party.

Julie Craven lives in Hoxne and is the former Assistant County archivist - she has researched the area's links to St Edmund and she says, according to most of the historical records she's seen, Hoxne has the greatest claim to be the place where St Edmund was killed.

Julie says village folklore now warns brides from crossing the bridge on their wedding day for fear of bad luck.

It was supposedly a bridal party who gave away St Edmund's hiding place to the marauding Danes and - it is said - he later put a curse on all future bridal processions using the bridge.

The bridge

The bridge

A stone cross was put up in the year 2000 in a field between the two halves of the village to mark the site of an old oak tree that, traditionally, is thought to be the place where St Edmund was slain.

The tree collapsed about a hundred years ago and to the amazement of villagers, a Viking arrow head was found embedded in it. Some believe it was a stray Danish arrow which, instead of piercing St Edmund, pierced the trunk of the young oak….

Julie says village folklore now warns brides from crossing the bridge on their wedding day for fear of bad luck..

It was supposedly a bridal party who gave away St Edmund's hiding place to the marauding Danes and - it is said - he later put a curse on all future bridal processions using the bridge.

A stone cross was put up in the year 2000 in a field between the two halves of the village to mark the site of an old oak tree that, traditionally, is thought to be the place where St Edmund was slain.

The tree collapsed about a hundred years ago and to the amazement of villagers, a Viking arrow head was found embedded in it. Some believe it was a stray Danish arrow which, instead of piercing St Edmund, pierced the trunk of the young oak.

last updated: 26/06/2008 at 11:49
created: 04/10/2006

Have Your Say

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Dominic Gordon
Hi,I agree totally, but in most other parts of England St George is undergoing a revival and any mention of replacing him might get one funny looks or a smack in the mush.PS I,m half Scot I celebrate St Andrews day as well.

Michael Garfield
Well said Jim smith! I'm English not British. The name "British" is derived from the name of the Brythonic tribes that the Romans found here when they invaded. As the English are not descended from these tribes then why should I see myself as a 'Briton', 'British', etc. Those Brythonic tribes then became what we English named the Welsh. Still, let's not let historical fact stand in the way of the complete ignorance that many English people still have concerning their true English origins. For an Englishmen & women who call themselves British are literally denying their English identity.

Audrey Griffin
I have found your information very helpful as I have been asked to create a guide for children & parents who vist our church of St. Edmund's Church Road Kessingland Lowestoft. Any advice or help you can give me would be very gratefully welcomed. I hope you are able to help. One thing that struck me was the fact that St Edmun's flag is a white dragon on a red background, and St Georges is a red cross on a white background. Coincidence?Thank you for your atentionYours sincerelyAudrey Griffin licensed reader St. Edmund's church

Jim Smith
You're the stupid one. For a start this is an English matter, not British. Also how is it Political correctness gone mad? They are trying to secure some of our English heritage, not remove it! St George was foreign, St Edmund was English!

george clark
DONT BE SO STUPID we are loosing too much of our tradititions to the foreign invaders as it is without fighting over who is our patron saint. Come on Brits wake up to whats happening in our once great country. Political correctness gone mad again.

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