Saint Alkeld
Saint Alkeld (also known as Athilhilda or Alcield; died c. 10th century) was an Anglo-Saxon nun or holy woman venerated in North Yorkshire, England, principally at Middleham and at Giggleswick. She is said to have been strangled by pagan Danish women (Viking raiders' wives or followers) when she refused to renounce her Christian faith—a form of martyrdom associated with the waves of Danish raiding and settlement in northern England in the ninth and tenth centuries. Her name may derive from the Old English words for "holy well" (halig + keld), and several holy wells in Yorkshire are associated with her. Her feast day is March 27.
Saint Alkeld is a representative of the many obscure local holy figures of pre-Conquest northern England whose veneration survived in local folk tradition and in dedicated chapels and holy wells even through the disruptions of the Norman Conquest and the later Reformation.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Alkeld
| Saint Alkeld | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | March 27 |
| Profession | Nun or holy woman |
| Rel. Affiliation | Anglo-Saxon Church |
| Attributes | Lily (virginity); palm branch (martyr) |
| Birthplace | Yorkshire, England (exact location uncertain) |
| Death Place | Yorkshire, England (traditional accounts: Middleham area) |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; strangled |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Saint Alkeld and Saint Mary, Middleham, North Yorkshire |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Saint Alkeld is venerated as a virgin martyr in the local tradition of Yorkshire. She is said to have been strangled by Viking women—perhaps the wives or companions of Danish raiders—in the ninth or tenth century when she refused to deny her Christian faith. The precise details of her life and death are not recoverable from contemporary documents.
Her cult was centered at Middleham in Wensleydale, where the parish church bears her name, and at Giggleswick in the West Riding. Holy wells associated with her are found in both places and reflect the ancient tradition of linking saintly figures with natural springs as sites of healing and veneration.
Significant events
- Lived as a nun or holy woman in Yorkshire during the period of Viking raiding.
- Strangled by Danish women for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
- Venerated at Middleham and Giggleswick in North Yorkshire; feast established March 27.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: None
Death location: Yorkshire, England (traditional accounts: Middleham area)
Notable location: Primary site of her veneration (Middleham, North Yorkshire, England)
Notable location: Secondary site of her veneration (Giggleswick, North Yorkshire, England)
Notable location:
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Church of Saint Alkeld and Saint Mary, Middleham, North Yorkshire, England — parish church bearing her name; center of her local cult.
Feast day
March 27
Veneration
Saint Alkeld is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Church of England tradition with a feast day on March 27, principally in North Yorkshire.
Prayers
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Intercessory
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