Died c. 650-700. Saint Ermenburga was a Kentish princess of
distinguished lineage. Her father was Ermenred, the brother of King
Erconbert of Kent. She married Merewald, said to be the son of King
Penda of Mercia, by whom she bore four children, including
Saints Mildred (f.d. July 13),
Milburga (f.d. February 23)
- eldest of the three girls;
and
Mildgith (f.d. January 17; youngest daughter),
and Merefin, who died in his youth. Ermenburga's own siblings included
Saints Ethelred and Ethelbert (f.d. October 17).
When they were cruelly murdered at Eastry near Sandwich by Egbert's
counsellor Thunor, their sister received the "wergild" in the form of
land at Kent. In her old age Ermenburga used this land to found the
convent of Minster on Thanet, where the place name Ebbsfleet still
perpetuates her memory. She became its abbess about 670 and was
succeeded by her daughter Mildred, who had been trained at Chelles in
France. Domneva is a contraction of Domna Ebba (Lady Ebba)
(
Benedictines,
Farmer).