Etheldreda and Ely

Within the Ely Cathedral, today stands a series of eight stones in the central tower. These stones depict the life of Etheldreda showing her life, her marriages, exchanging her royal crown for a veil, her death and burial, and her body being discovered. This was a common thing to do to saints, however, there is a greater emphasis on Etheldreda leaving her husband to become a nun than on any other aspect of her life. 

Another unusual aspect of the carvings is how Etheldreda is presented. Most depiction of saints usually has some common design. For example, artistic renditions of St. Katherine include the wheel on which she was tortured. For Etheldreda, these images usually include a greater emphasis on her leaving her husband. This is even more puzzling when Etheldreda has usually celebrated for her remaining a virgin throughout her marriages. The main purpose of these images though was to establish Etheldreda being the founder and original leader of the abbey.