Eadburg/Eadburga, abbess of Minster in Thanet

Overview

Title social-status

abbess of Minster in Thanet

Date of Birth

late 7th century

Date of Death

mid 8th century?

Biography

One of several monastic women who corresponded with Boniface and with Lul, Eadburg/Eadburga was abbess of the monastery of Minster on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, the immediate successor to Saint Mildred. Their letters span at least three decades, from c.716 to the mid 740's. Eadburg was reputed to be zealous in the pursuit of knowledge and an effective abbess who secured several royal charters for her house. She sent gifts of holy books and vestments to Boniface while he was doing missionary work in Germany. He asked her to copy the epistles of Peter for him in gold letters — a display copy — and Lul sent her a style, so she was trained as a scribe, and her monastery presumably had a scriptorium. Eadburg taught Lioba, a cousin of Boniface's, who later served with him in Germany; Lioba sent him verses she had learned to compose from Eadburg who, she says never ceases her study of holy scripture (ep.29).

Letters to Eadburg/Eadburga, abbess of Minster in Thanet

A letter from Boniface (716/717)
A letter from Boniface (735-36)
A letter from Boniface (742-46)
A letter from Boniface (c.735)
A letter from Lul (745-46)