Saint Hilda, or Hild, to give her the correct Anglo Saxon name, meaning "battle", was born in 614AD into the Royal house of Northumbria. Northumbria meant what it sounds like, the lands north of the Humber. Sub divided into two Kingdoms called Bernicia to the north, having its centre and stronghold at Bamburgh and the other called Diera to the south, probably centred in or around Catterick.

The so called " Kings " were little more than tribal warriors, chiefs, fighting against neighbouring tribal warriors for their Kingdoms, often feuding within their own families. Indeed, they were expected to die honourably in battle.

Hilda was a great niece of Edwin, King of Northumbria at the time of her birth. She was the second daughter of Hereric, Edwin`s nephew and Breguswith of whom we know very little. Hereric was apparently exiled and living under the protection of the British ( as opposed to the Anglo Saxon ), King Cerdic of Elmet, a small Kingdom near what is now known as Leeds.

Breguswith, Hilda`s mother, had a prophetic dream, in which she found Hereric had been taken away and although she searched everywhere, she could not find any trace of him. Soon afterwards, Hereric was murdered by poisoning, though we must remember that at time of his death, most internal pain deaths were always thought of as poisonings. Hilda and her elder sister Hereswith, were now fatherless and left to be brought up by their mother.

Paulinus, now a bishop, went with the betrothed Ethelburga from Kent to Northumbria as her chaplain. Hilda was about eleven years of age at this time, now living in the court of Edwin. Hilda must have heard and seen many goings on in the court of Edwin, with Paulinus attempting to convert many from their pagan rituals into the faith of Christianity and this included the King himself.

Hilda, until she was nineteen, presumably lived in the court of Edwin, who was claimed to be the first King of Kings to all the English. Edwin now had control and reigned over all the lands to the north of the Humber and to the South of Scotland, as well as being the overlord to the lands of East Anglia. We know of two Royal capitals, the first, Yeavering in the north of Northumbria and the second was Catterick in. Hilda spent time at both of these places, as well as Bamburgh, the ancient stronghold of all the Northumbrian Kings. Edwin eventually became a Christian and sent Paulinus to be Bishop of York. From this period in time, York became an important church centre.

632 AD, Penda of Mercia, not yet a King, but a member of the Royal household, allied with Cadwalla, King of Gwynedd and together they invaded Northumbria. A great battle took place at Hatfield Chase, where Edwin and his eldest son were killed. Edwin`s army was totally defeated. His second son survived this battle and surrendered himself to the mercy of Penda and Cadwalla, but was murdered at Penda`s court of Mercia. Mercia was a Kingdom to the south west of Northumbria, known today as the " Midlands ".

During this period, what happened to Hilda we do not really know. We do know that the Christian Bishop Paulinus, Queen Ethelburga and servants went back to the safe lands of Kent, sending the Royal children to France to be cared for and educated, but died shortly afterwards except for a daughter, Eanfleda. Did Hilda retreat with the Queen ? or as most believe, she retreated to the ancient stronghold of Bamburgh, which did hold out over Penda and Cadwalla.

As Penda carried out deliberate devastation of Northumbria, it fell back into the two kingdoms, Bernicia and Diera. Cadwalla burnt the Royal centre at Yeavering and such was the destruction, that it never recovered. The descendants from the previous Kings of Bernicia had been exiled to the Celtic monks on the island of Iona, off the coast of Scotland, whom later returned to the stronghold at Bamburgh. The eldest son was killed in a battle fighting Cadwalla, but his brothers, Oswald and Oswy, were destined to become the new Kings of Northumbria.

A year after their return, Oswald defeated and killed Cadwalla, at the battle of Heavenfield, near to Hadrians Wall at Hexham. Oswald, after this great victory, sent for a bishop from the island of Iona and was duly sent Aidan. Oswald offered the Bishop Aidan land on which to build a monastery, Aidan chose Lindisfarne, Holy Island. Aidan built this monastery and it can still be seen today on Holy Island. Oswald reigned over Northumbria for the next nine years...

As a result of Oswald`s defeat and death, terrible times returned to lands of the north. Oswy had succeeded his brother to be the new king of Northumbria, but only to be King over the north, Bernicia. Control over Diera had passed on to a relative, Oswin, a reputed man of great holiness. In order to gain control over all the lands of Northumbria,Oswy was determined to make war on Oswin. Near to Catterick, Oswin decided to disband his forces and to discuss terms with Oswy on a settlement. Oswin was staying at a friend`s home throughout these talks, an Earl whom he trusted completely. But it was in his friend`s home he was murdered and Oswy assumed the Kingship of both realms and again Northumbria was united.

Hilda during this period, had been inspired by the teachings of Aidan and had taken to being a nun. Hilda was to join up with her widowed sister, Hereswith, who was already at a convent at Chellas in France. Hilda`s nephew, Adwulf, was now King of the East Angels. Before joining up with her sister in France, Hilda had renounced all she possessed, including her entitled homes, staying at her nephew`s court, preparing herself for the duties of the church. Aidan urged Hilda to return to the lands of Northumbria, where he would place holy land, one hide, to found a monastery. A hide was an indefinite measure of land, said to be enough to support one household and estimates out today at about 120 acres. Hilda took up this offer and chose land on the north bank of the River Wear.