THE
P RTAL
August 2018
Page 12
Well, she’s in the Customary!
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane visit Kemsing in Kent to find
out about St Edith of Wilton, a little known Saint
I
t was a blistering hot day. We made our way down to Kent, the “Garden of England”. Our destination
was the charming village of Kemsing. We met Antony Tyler at the front door of his beautiful cottage, a
lovely man, full of what I hope he is not offended if I call colonial charm. Although born in the UK, he grew
up in Australia, and the voice still betrays it sixty years later.
His house is comfortable, and we settled
down in arm chairs with coffee and biscuits.
He knows about St Edith of Kemsing, or of
Wilton as the Customary of the Ordinariate
has it. Antony told us all about her. She was
the daughter of the great King Edgar. He
ruled most of what is now England for two
years before Edith’s birth in 961.
leading men of the land offered the crown
to Edith. She declined, having already
committed herself to the Religious Life.
She displayed concern for the poor,
especially lepers, and wild animals. Her
short, but holy life, ended at the early age
of twenty three. Soon after, miracles were
reported at her tomb.
Her mother, the Lady Wulfryth, was Antony Tyler
a novice at Wilton Abbey near Salisbury, but their
Edith was remembered not only at Wilton, but also
daughter was born in Kemsing. The King, already at Kemsing, where a chapel containing her shrine was
married, suffered penance imposed
built. It seems that the site of this
by St Dunstan. This penance
chapel was at the east end of what
involved building a convent in
is now the parish church of St Mary
Kemsing. Mother and child lived
the Virgin. Prayers said there, and
at the convent for a time. It was
the water from the well, hallowed
situated right beside a well. This
by her presence, were beneficial
still exists in the middle of the
in healing of eye complaints. Her
village.
prayers were also sought to protect
crops from blight.
When his wife died, Edgar sought
to marry Wulfryth. She declined on
The cult of St Edith was quickly
the grounds that she had already
accepted. For over five hundred
decided to be a professed nun. So
years, the faithful flocked to
she and her daughter returned to
Kemsing to gain the prayers of
Wilton. King Edgard visited them
the holy St Edith. Being just off
and offered to bring Edith to the
the Pilgrim Way from London to
royal court, but not even the offer
Canterbury made a visit to Kemsing
of jewels and fine clothes could
easy. Many took advantage of this
not persuade her. Edith followed
and many blessings resulted.
her mother into the cloister. King
Edgard was gracious enough to
Then came tragedy. The
accept this, and even assisted at her
Reformation put an end to all this.
clothing.
The chapel and the shrine were
destroyed. Pilgrimages and prayers to St Edith stopped.
Despite the irregularity of his early life, Edgar was Like so many other holy places in the kingdom, what
a deeply religious and pious man. He supported the had once been a hive of religious activity, became as
church throughout his kingdom. Later historians silent as the grave.
would describe his reign as a golden age for the church
in England.
Yet in 1961, the one thousandth anniversary of
Edith’s birth, the village of Kemsing held a festival
Upon Edgard’s death, Edith’s half-brother succeeded in her honour. It has continued since 1961 every ten
the throne. However, he was murdered in 975 and the years. Presumably the next one will be in 2021. The