The Queen Edith Festival took place at Oakham's All Saints' Church this weekend (9 - 10 March 2024) and saw residents from across the county gather to mark 1,000 years of the Monarch.

Headed up by the Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, this event gave Rutland residents the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the life of the forgotten Queen.

The daughter of the influential Earl Godwine of Wessex and his Danish wife Gytha, Edith was destined for a royal future as the Queen of one king, Edward the Confessor, and the sister of another king, the ill-fated Harold.

Did you join the fun at the Queen Edith Festival this weekend? Image credit: Nub News.

Many of our more famous kings and queens are remembered across the country. Despite being buried in Westminster Abbey, next to Edward the Confessor's impressive shrine, Edith has no such place where her story is told.

But why should she be especially remembered in Rutland?

The team behind the event explained: "Queen Edith is woven into the history of Rutland as the last Queen to hold many of the manors of our county as her personal possession. Her legacy gently echos down the centuries to the present day, with her name preserved in one of the Rutland villages she held, Edith Weston.

"Successive Queens in the Anglo-Saxon era were awarded the income from a wide variety of estates and manors in order to fund their household and interests. Rutland was a key part of this dower land, which may explain why it escaped being fully merged into the major counties which were being established around this time."

Traditional costume was worn at Rutland's Queen Edith Festival. Image credit: Nub News.

Queen Edith was raised at the nunnery in Wilton, Wiltshire, which lay close to the West Saxon royal court. She had influence in church affairs, guiding the choice of bishops and as a patron to churches. She oversaw the transformation of King Edward's royal regalia, including the making of a new crown and seal.

In her lifetime England was a crucible for the competing claims of Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian and Norman rulers. With loyalties to all three ruling dynasties Queen Edith emerges from these tumultuous times as an astute and diplomatic survivor.

Copper crafts and felting were on display and availabel to try. Image credit: Nub News.

The team added: "Queen Edith's life sheds important light on Rutland's royal and social history, adding to what we already know and cherish from our heritage. As we navigate the complexities of our own times, the story of Queen Edith shows us how our vocation and our choices combine to create our destiny."

The event kicked off on Friday when, Year 4 students explored the connections between Queen Edith, All Saints Oakham, Oakham Castle and the Anglo-Saxon burgh of Oakham, at a private educational event.

Traditional crafters joined the event. Image credit: Nub News.

On Saturday 9 March, the main event saw All Saints' Church host an open day, which included the launch of an illustrated exhibition Royal Rutland – the story of Queen Edith, and accompanying book, as well as costume, crafts, displays, activities and much more.

Finally, on Sunday 10 March, a service marking 1,000 years since the birth of Queen Edith took place to round off the unique celebrations.

Paul Wiggin, the illustrator of 'Royal Rutland', which was launched at the event. Image credit: Nub News.

Rutland's Lord-Lieutenant, Dr Sarah Furness, concluded: "With the help of Pauline Stafford, the leading expert and writer on Queen Edith, we can bring Edith's story to life in time for the 1000th anniversary of Edith's birth and, with Paul Wiggin's artwork and other historic illustrations, we have captured something of the transitional Anglo-Saxon and Norman era in which she lived. This will, I hope, add a little more to the historic landscape that we enjoy in our area."

'Royal Rutland' a historic book by Pauline Stafford, was launched at Oakham's Queen Edith Festival. Image credit: Nub News.