Saint of the Day – 3 November – Saint Rumwold of Buckingham (c650-650) Infant Saint

Saint of the Day – 3 November – Saint Rumwold of Buckingham (c650-650) Infant Saint, born with miraculous adult abilities and mystical gifts. Born in c650 at King Sutton, Northants, England and died three days later in the same place. Also known as – Rumwold of Brackley, Rumbald of…. Rumbold of…. Rumwald of….

Tucked away in an almost-forgotten 11th Century manuscript is the extraordinary tale of St Rumwold, an infant saint who lived on this earthly plane for only three days. But in that short time, he not only spoke with the eloquence of a grown and educated man but he declared himself a Christian and gave a sermon to those who had gathered for his birth. The Author of that manscript, was Bishop St Wulfstan of Worcester (c 1008–1095),1070s,

Rumwold was born in the District of King’s Sutton sometime in the 7th Century, the son of the King of Northumberland (also known as Northumbria, in northern England) and his wife, who was a daughter of Penda of Mercia. The hagiography of his short life states that his parents were en-route to visit Penda for the birth of their first child, the infant Rumwold.

Before they could reach their destination, the party was forced to make camp by the roadside in a meadow, as the Princess of Mercia had entered labour. Rumwold was born in the meadow, near to the place that would become known as Sutton and then later as King’s Sutton. Sadly the infant lived only for a short time and died on the third day after his birth. Rumwold was buried in Sutton.

Not an unusual story so far, but it is the events following Rumwold’s birth which begin to move into the realm of miracles. St Wulfstan tells of how Rumwold’s birth was “desired by many and sanctified by God” and that upon being born, the infant proclaimed three times “I am a Christian!” The child then asked the two Priests who attended the royal party, Widerin and Edwold, to Baptise him and grant him the grace of receiving Holy Communion. Seeing as there was no Baptismal Font nearby, he directed the Priests to a nearby bowl-shaped stone. The men were miraculously able to lift it and carry it to the meadow to use for the Baptism. The sBaptismal Font can still be seen in King’s Sutton Church.

Following the ceremony, Rumwold proceeded to give a lengthy sermon about the need for virtuous living to all those present. He finished by decreeing that after his death, his body should lay for one year at the place which would be called Sutton, for two years at a place to be named Brackley, before coming to his final resting place which would be known as Buckingham. None of these place-names existed at the time of Rumwold’s birth. Rumwold died, as he prophesied, on the third day of his life, the 3rd of November.

Accounts of Rumwold’s miraculous life were widely circulated in the Middle Ages and his Tomb and Shrine in the old Church of Buckingham became an important focus for pilgrims. Many came to take the curative waters of St Rumbold’s Well close to the Town. The earliest Inns of Buckingham were reputedly founded and flourished on the pilgrims’ trade.

Unfortunately Pilgrimages to Buckingham ceased after the Reformation and St Rumwold’s Shrine and Tomb seem to have been demolished when the old Buckingham Church decayed and collapsed in 1776. Regrettably nothing was transferred to the present-day Church. However, there is a recently-erected Memorial in the old Churchyard which reads:

“Near this spot within the old Church of Buckingham, was the Tomb and Shrine of the Infant Saint Rumbold, who lived and died in c650.”

St Rumwold’s Well has been protected and its site still remains.