St Eadburg's Well, Lyminge (©Gabor Thomas)
But over time, it was gradually forgotten who Eadburh
was. The church at Lyminge remained dedicated to St Mary and St Eadburg,
but it was also well-known that the church had been founded by Queen
Æthelburh. It came to be thought that the name Eadburh (in Latin
Edburga) must be a variant of the name Æthelburh (in Latin Ethelburga), so
it came to be believed that the church in Lyminge was actually dedicated to St
Mary and St Ethelburga. Eventually, in 1897, the Rector of Lyminge
actually started calling the church St Mary and St Ethelburga, and this is the
dedication it holds to this day. Sadly, for many years, St Eadburh, the
Abbess of Minster, has been forgotten. Through the Royal Saxon Way, we
hope to bring her back into the spotlight and restore her rightful position as
the patron saint of the church in Lyminge, alongside the founder St
Ethelburga. In 2020, the Parish Council in Lyminge voted to restore the
ancient name of the spring, close to the church. This spring features in
some of the miracles of St Eadburg, so we have good reason to believe this was
St Eadburg’s Well for over a thousand years up to the end of the 19th
Century. It is once again.