HEREFORD Cathedral today celebrated its patron saint, St Ethelbert.

The day began with a gathering at St Ethelbert's Well in Castle Green at 7.45am.

Worshippers then processed to the cathedral for Eucharist.

As part of the commemorations, Professor Nicholas Vincent delivered a lecture at the cathedral entitled Hereford's Italian Magna Carta: Guala Bicchieri and the Making of English History.

The cathedral is dedicated to two saints – St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert.

King Ethelbert of East Anglia was beheaded by Offa, King of Mercia, in the eighth century.

The motive for the execution – said to have taken place at Sutton, just outside the city, is unclear – but appears to be connected with Offa withdrawing his consent to give his daughter to Ethelbert in marriage.

Ethelbert's body was brought to be buried at the site of the cathedral by a monk. Later, miracles were said to have happened, and in about 830AD Milfrid, a Mercian nobleman, was so moved by the stories of wondrous events at Ethelbert's tomb that he rebuild in stone the little church that had stood there, and dedicated it to the slain king.