Geddington 2

RETURN TO GEDDINGTON AND THE QUEEN ELEANOR CROSS

17th AUGUST 2022

It had been nearly two years since our first visit to the Historic village of Geddington, and many of us so enjoyed our first visit we decided to return, together with a few new members.  Kam our tour guide greeted us at the Queen Eleanor Cross after we had all enjoyed our tasty lunch at the Star Inn.

He reminded us of the history of the Cross and the Village before taking us onwards to the Church.  This time we were able to go inside and discover more historic gems and stories from the past including visiting Kings and Queens etc.

The following is a passage from the leaflet on a Requiem Mass for Queen Eleanor.  A service that has been held each year since 1291 at the Church in her memory.

“Eleanor was born in the Los Heulgas Abbey in Burgos, Spain in 1244.  She was one of the many children of Ferdinand lll King of Castile and Leon.  As this same Abbey in 1254 she married Edward, who on the death of Henry lll was to become Edward 1, the powerful of all the Plantagenet Kings.  He was 15 and she was 9.

History records that both stayed on many occasions at their royal palace at Geddington attending the church (originally Saxon but it was the Normans who created the Church we see today) and enjoyed hunting on the Chase.

On 28th November 1290 while on her way to join the King in Scotland, the Queen was taken gravely ill and died at Harby, Nr Lincoln, her body was taken to and entombed in Westminster Abbey.  The King was so grief stricken he gave orders that every place where her bier had rested a cross be erected in her memory.  In total 12 crosses, but today, only three remain.  The best preserved of these lies at the centre of the village of Geddington.  It represents her love for the area and the beir rested here on 7th December 1290.”

For more information on Geddington, please see our previous article September 2020.