Saints

ST FRANCIS
Francis was the founder of the order of friars and the order of the friary in Bodmin. The friary was dedicated to him in 1284. He was also patron saint to the chapel at Mitchell near Truro in the parish of St Enoder. This chapel is now a dwelling. Francis also gave his name to a small chapel at Indian Queens which still holds services.

HYRDOC
Hydroc was said to have founded a religious centre, possibly a monastery, that we now know as Lanhydrock, near Bodmin. In the Middle Ages, the parish was controlled by the priory of St Petroc of Bodmin. The word Lan in Cornish indicates a place of burial of holy enclosure. This is a firm link with Hydroc and the fact that Lanhydrock as we now know was a monastery. It is thought that the church had become dedicated to Hydroc by 1478.

ISSEY
Issey is linked to two places in Cornwall, in two different forms. The first that obviously springs to mind is St Issey, between Padstow and Wadebridge. Early indications show that the place could have its name after Yse, a woman who was believed to have come from Wales to Cornwall. However, by the 18th Century, it was reported that the patron saint was in fact a man, St Giggy, a holy judge. The other place associated with Issey is Mevagissey, on the south coast. Issey is derived from an earlier spelling, Iti, and has links with St Meva, thus producing Mevagissey.

JULIOT
St Juliot has taken many forms and changed in gender through different sources of information. A ‘Julitta’ is connected to the Tintagel area but first linked to St Juliot Church in the 12th Century. There is also a well bearing the name in the parish of Lanteglos near Camelford and at Tintagel Castle. A ‘Juliana’ of Welsh descent is also said to have settled in North Cornwall. Other suggestions say that Juliot was an earlier Brittonic figure.

ST KEW
The ancient name of St Kew was actually Lan Docco. St Docco gave his name to the church and St Kew was his sister. A smaller chapel near the church was dedicated to St Kew. The church was headed by both the brother and sister, but as changes took place in the church, Kew moved in and assumed its name. As time passed, both the church and the village became known as St Kew.

MABYN
Listed as Mabon in 12th Century records, Mabyn was said to have come from a large family, with 23 brothers and sisters. A depiction of Mabyn exists in the wives’ window in St Neot Church. She is wearing robes, a crown, and is carrying a palm branch. A well in the parish is also thought to represent her.

ST NEOT
The parentage and origins of St Neot are complex and conflicting. Throughout the centuries there have been many interpretations as to who he was. In the earliest records it is suggested that he originated from Brittany. Others state that he was an advisor to King Alfred the Great or the son of a distinguished prince. His links to Cornwall suggest that he retired in St Neot to live a life of prayer and seclusion. He was buried in the grounds of the church and re-buried seven years later, on the north side of the altar.

OLAF
Olaf is a lesser-known saint who gave his name to Poughill (pronounced ‘Poffle’) near Bude in North Cornwall. He is thought to be King Olaf, or Olave, of Norway, and was killed in battle with rebellious pagan subjects in 1030. He had a shrine dedicated to him where miracles were said to have taken place and he is remembered in churches in York, London and Exeter.

PETROC
Accounts of Petroc’s life are extensive, across the 10th, 11th and 12th Centuries. It is said that he was a prince to a Welsh king but renounced the throne when his father died, in favour of a life as a monk in Ireland. He travelled to Cornwall, landing at the mouth of the River Camel on the north coast and founded a monastic centre that became known as Petrocstow, now known as Padstow. He travelled to Rome and Jerusalem before returning to Cornwall to lead a religious life, establishing new foundations outside Padstow at what is now called Little Petherick. He died in Cornwall is said to have been buried at Padstow.

TUDY
Tudy was known as the saint of the serene and gave his name to the quiet village of St Tudy, between Bodmin and Wadebridge. He was said to have been a companion of St Breoc with whom he travelled to Brittany, becoming a missionary. While there, he founded monasteries on islands and rivers to the north and south. He is largely regarded as a Bretonic saint who passed through Cornwall.

ST GERMANS
German, or Germanus as he is also known, first came to Britain in the fifth century and was seen as an heroic figure, helping to defeat the Anglo Saxons. His links to Cornwall came in the tenth century and records show that he was a ‘confessor and a bishop.’ It was said that he was sent to Cornwall by Pope Gregory of Rome and that his relics lie in the village of St Germans in East Cornwall. He is also linked to the parish church of Rame, the chapel at Padstow and features in a window in St Neot Church.

KEYNE
The name Keyne translates as Keynwiri meaning Keyne the virgin. Her links to Cornwall came when she met up with Cadoc at St Michael’s Mount while she was on a pilgrimage. Eventually she returned to her native Wales, but requested that Cadoc should bury her at her dwelling. She prophesied that sinful people would occupy her burial place and that she would lead men to her through her prayers. It is probable that her place of retreat in Cornwall was at the church of St Keyne. She is also mentioned in the parishes of St Pinnock and St Martin-by-Looe.

LADOC
Ladoc is generally regarded as female and was a good friend of Probus. The closeness of the two churches confirms this. Folklore tells us that Probus and Ladoc set out from their churches at dawn, to meet halfway but Ladoc spent so long combing her hair that Probuds reached her before she had even set out. Both Ladock and Probus church still hold regular services.

ROCHE
When we think of Roche, in the heart of the china clay area, Roche Rock springs to mind. However, Roche the man was connected to the village until the late 18th Century and even then it was purely on the similarity to the name. Roche was in fact a young man who worked among the poor and sick in Montpellier in Southern France. He travelled on many pilgrimages, including a visit to Italy where he was accused of spying and was imprisoned. Legend has it that, after his imprisonment, he lived in a secluded wood and survived on bread brought to him by a dog. Many paintings in churches throughout Cornwall depict Roche with a dog.

SAMSON
Samson was a lesser-known saint associated with many places, including Wales, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. He is one of the earliest saints discussed and was said to have lived in the 6th Century. His parents, Anna and Amon, were Welsh and of noble descent. At the age of five he was taken into the care of St Illtud who brought him up as a monk. His association with Cornwall is limited to his journey across the county, but he did received dedications in various places as he passed through. By the 12th Century was patron saint of the chapel of St Samson at Golant near Fowey, where a 15th Century image of him survives in a window.

URSULA
Ursula was a British princess martyred in Cologne and her legens is centred in the Middle Ages. Very little information exists about her connection with Cornwall, only that a light in her honour was endowed in St Michael Penkevil church in 1489.

VEEP
Little is known of Veep, and this is another saint where confusion exists over gender. Various historical pieces of evidence suggest that the saint was a man and a woman. Some put Veep as being the aunt of St Winnoc. Today, St Veep village exists above Penpol Creek on the River Fowey. Veep’s popularity faded and in the 14th Century the church was re-dedicated to St Cyricus and Saint Julitta, a mother and son. The only dedication left to Veep is the place name itself.

FEOCK
In the 21st Century, the parish of Feock that looks over the River Fal is still a place of great beauty and affluence. The church takes its name from Feoc who was regarded as the patron saint around 1160. Little is known about Feoc except that he might have been a hermit from Brittany. In the early 18th Century, a stained glass window depicted the saint. Some say the figure was of Feoc alone, but other sources imply that he was painted with a family around him. Some suggest that Feoc could have been a woman, Sainta Feoca.

ST GWINEAR
Gwinear was a leader of Irish missionaries who landed near the Hayle estuary. He was said to have been a brother to Piala who have gave her name to Phillack church nearby. Gwinear came to Hayle with 770 men and seven bishops after returning home to find the father who rejected him to be dead. He decided to leave Ireland and travelled to Cornwall. King Teudrig was afraid that Gwinear might try to convert his people to Christianity so he had him beheaded. Folklore has it that Gwinear picked up his head and walked away.

HERMES
Hermes is thought to be the patron saint of St Erme and St Ervan. The spelling Hermes is thought to derive from his Latinised name. Hermes was a Roman martyr of the third century and in 1478 he was described as ‘confessor of the Cornish people.’ It is also noted that he had links with Marazion and St Michael’s Mount.

IA
Ia literally missed the boat and instead of sailing to Cornwall with Gwinear as she had intended, she made her way across on an enlarged leaf! By 1284 she had given her name to the town of St Ives. Hya, as she was also referred to, was an Irish virgin of noble birth and Cornish tradition denotes that she lived and was buried in the county. Ia also has links to other churches and wells in Cornwall, being associated with a well called Venton Ia near Porthmeor Beach at St Ives and was commemorated in the church at Troon in the parish of Camborne.

JUST
St Just is linked to many places within Cornwall and it is believed that there were many St Justs, and which ones have their names to Cornwall is uncertain. St Just is mainly associated with St Just-in-Roseland and St Just in Penwith. St Just the martyr is believed to be buried in Penwith. There are also parishes in Brittany dedicated to St Just.

NEWLYN
Newlyn is the patron saint of Newlyn East between Newquay and Truro and she is a female saint uniquely associated with this close-knit hamlet. The first recording of her is from 1259. She was believed to be the daughter of a king who killed her with his own hands because of her religion. Fragments of a 15th Century cross in the church are said to represent a female figure carrying her own head. This is thought to be Newlyn.

PIRAN
Some sources say that Piran travelled from Ireland to Cornwall on a millstone, but it is also thought that he was one of many pilgrims who came to the county from Wales. He is first mentioned in the 10th Century and was said to have landed at Perranzabuloe. The correct spelling of his name is in fact Perran. The church there became lost beneath the sands, but by the late 12th Century various relics belonging to the saint were found. The parish, which now includes St Agnes, was a large one and the parishioners saw fit to carry his relics through the villages in his honour, a tradition that continued into the Middle Ages. His relics were made as offerings at the church, traditionally on March 5 every year. This continued throughout the 17th Century. Elsewhere, he became the patron saint of Perranarworthal, between Truro and Falmouth, and Perranuthnoe. By the 18th Century, the miners had adopted him as their own saint and they made March 5 a day of rest. Those who over-indulged on that day were known as Perraners. The flag of Cornwall, with its white cross on a black background is called the Piran flag and is thought to come from the mining tradition.

WENDRON
This saint was first recored as Wendon in 1291 but before this she was known as Wendern. Medieval references make her female and one of the nine sisters of Columb. In the 16th Century many local girls were named after her, as were girls in the parish of St Columb after her sister. Her legend is confined to the West Cornwall parish but a holy well is also dedicated to her at Trelill near Helston. A church by the well was said to have been built in her honour but the stones forming the church walls were said to have been removed by the devil.

ZENNOR
From the 12th Century on,Zennor was largely thought to be a woman and became known as Zenar or Sinar. She might have been the mother of Budoc and in this case was called Azenor. Today, the legend of Senara is the best known. She was a mermaid who enticed away the youth of the village. She appears on a bench-end in the church but there is no real evidence that has survived.