Bourne ware sherd

Pilgrim badges were common souvenirs from shrines – wearing or carrying them was believed to protect the owner, and the money raised by their sale supported the associated churches and communities. This pilgrim token is associated with the shrine of Saint Etheldreda (d. 679), the founder of Ely Cathedral. The obverse (front) shows Etheldreda as a 15th-century queen, while the reverse (back) depicts the coat of arms of the See of Ely, the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the bishop of Ely. It features three crowns, representing Etheldreda, her sister Sexburga and niece Ermenilda.

The life of Saint Etheldreda (also called Aethelthryth and Audrey) was recorded by many medieval authors, including the historian Bede (about 673-735), the abbot Aelfric of Eynsham (about 955-1010), and the poet Marie de France (active 1160-1215). Saint Etheldreda was an Anglo-Saxon princess who left her marriage to preserve her chastity by becoming a nun. She rebuilt a church in Ely that was destroyed by Penda, the last great pagan warrior-king in England. Her action reflected the rise and dominance of Christianity across the different English kingdoms. She also founded a monastery for both monks and nuns, where Ely Cathedral now stands. Many years after her death, her body was translated (dug up for reburial) to the Cathedral and was found to be incorrupt (not decayed), a common miracle associated with saints.

Etheldreda is one of many important medieval religious women in East Anglia, where there was a strong tradition of female piety, and there were churches dedicated to her across the region.