In the early part of this year a small team of flower arrangers and helpers,from the Parish of Beltingham with Henshaw, led by Mrs Pauline Storey, decided to participate in the Hexham Abbey Flower Festival.
The Northern Saint allocated to us was St Eata (pronounced Air-ta), a saint unknown to us at that stage.
St Eata was one of twelve English boys educated by Aidan at Lindisfarne. He became a monk and eventually Abbot at Melrose. One of the monks he trained there was Cuthbert who arrived in 651. Several years later he went with Cuthbert and others to build a monastery at Ripon. Eata later became Bishop of Bernicia, the northern half of Northumberland. This eventually became divided into the Diocese of Lindisfarne and the Diocese of Hexham. Eata ruled Lindisfarne and later became Bishop of Hexham. He died after only a year at Hexham and his remains are in the Abbey.
A model of St Eata was carefully crafted by Mrs Hilda Rowlands with the mitre and bag made by Mrs Carol Adams and Mrs Anne Brunton respectively.
St Eata is now in All Hallows' Church at Henshaw and will remain for a short time.
Our thanks to Mrs Janet Beakes who provided us with much of the greenery for the arrangements including the beautiful sea holly.
A very enjoyable event.
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