SAINT PETROC
Above photo of St. Petroc, his wolf and the stag, J Maxwell; Photo below left, http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-petroc/; Photo below middle, http://stpetrocmonastery.blogspot.com/; Photo below right, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petroc.
The following text is copied directly from:
http://www.padstowparishchurch.org.uk/padstowchurch.htm
"THE STORY OF ST. PETROC
"A great deal is known about St. Petroc, there having been two 'Lives of Petroc' written in the middle ages and discovered in comparatively recent times in a library in Paris. A translation of the text of 'The Vita Petroci,' written in the 12th century, was published in 1930 by the late Canon G.H.Doble, called 'St. Petroc, Abbot and Confessor.'
"He was a Welshman of noble birth, who, having been educated in an Irish Monastery, the major seats of learning in those days, set out with a small band of followers, by sea, to spread the good news of the Gospel. The winds and tides brought him to the Padstow estuary.
"With the help of the local inhabitants he began to build at the top of the creek, the sea level coming further in than at present, first a church, and gradually other buildings, enlarging the establishment into a Celtic monastery complete with a school, infirmary, library, farm and cells for the monks.
"Having established the monastery and church here, Petroc travelled widely, founding other churches, first in Little Petherick and Bodmin and then in many parts of Britain, Wales and Brittany.
"The Celtic King Constantine ruled this area at that time and was said to have been converted to Christianity by St. Petroc, when the Saint rescued the deer that the King was hunting. There are many legends and tales about him of miracles, healings and the banishing of monsters."
The following text is copied from "St. Petroc"
http://www.cornwall-calling.co.uk/famous-cornish-people/st-petroc.htm
"St. Petroc landed in Cornwall from Ireland and spent 30 years in Padstow and founded his monastery here in the 6th century. St. Petroc later moved to Bodmin.
"St. Petroc gave his name to Padstow (Petroc's - stow) and to Little Petherick [between Padstow and Wadebridge]. He was the founder of Bodmin, which for some time was an Abbey-Bishopric, and remained the religious capital of Cornwall up to the end of the Middle Ages.
"Medieval Manuscripts
"We know about St. Petroc from the translation of the text of 'The Vita Petroci,' written in the 12th century. . . [a recent] translation was published in 1930 by the late Canon G. H. Doble, called 'St. Petroc, Abbot and Confessor.' Doble wrote extensively about the Saints of Cornwall.
"Soon after this a volume of forty five ‘Lives’ of English and Cornish saints written by contemporaries of St. Petroc was unearthed in the Ducal Library of Gotha, in Eastern Germany.
"The Gotha document described St. Petroc as being 'handsome in appearance, courteous in speech, prudent, simpleminded, modest, humble, a cheerful giver, burning with ceaseless charity, always ready for all the works of religion because while still a youth he had attained by watchful care the wisdom of riper years.'
"He was the younger son of King Glywys in Wales. On his father's death, he was offered the crown of part of the kingdom, but Petroc wanted to study for a religious life, and went to Ireland [with some of his friends].
"'Vita Petroci' describes their stay in Ireland for 20 years. The whole group then returned to Britain, apparently in the original ship, which had brought them to Ireland. St. Petroc is said to have landed at the mouth of the river Camel, near Trebetherick, in the 6th century.
"They took over the Celtic Monastery of Lanwethinoc, which had been founded by Bishop Wethinoc. The monastery became known as Petrocstow, Petroc's Church. The name Lanwethinoc remained long enough to be recorded in the Domesday Book as such. He began to build at the top of the creek, the sea level coming further in than at present, first a church, and then other buildings to make a complete Celtic monastery with a school, infirmary, library, farm and cells for the monks.
"The Gotha manuscript tells how, after about 30 years in Padstow, St. Petroc travelled to Rome and Brittany. He returned to Britain and as he reached Newton Saint Petroc (in Devon), it began to rain. Petroc predicted it would soon stop, but it rained for three days. As a self imposed penance for presuming to predict God's weather, Petroc returned to Rome, then to Jerusalem, then to India where he lived seven years on an island in the Indian Ocean.
"Gotha Manuscript records that St. Petroc set out from Padstow in about 518 and found Guron (or Vuron), a holy hermit, living in his hermitage at Bothmena or Bodmyia (the Abode of Monks). Guron left his hermitage to St. Petroc, and journeyed south to found another at Guron Haven (Gorran Haven). St. Petroc arrived with three of his fellow saints, Credan, Medan and Dechan.
"St. Guron had already discovered that this was a very good place to have his hermitage. It was near running water, there was a pool, many water springs, and it was in a sheltered the valley with good agricultural land. Before long St. Guron's hermitage was enlarged into a Priory of considerable size and importance. St. Petroc became the first Prior of Bodmin.
"He died circa 594 while traveling between Nanceventon and Lanwethinoc to visit disciples there. His relics and his handbell (the cimbalum) were used for for at least five hundred years after his death, and were preserved until the Reformation."
The following account is copied directly from:
http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/pedrogg.html
"St. Pedrog,
Abbot of Lanwethinoc
(c.468-564)
(Latin: Petrocus; English: Petrock)
"The name Pedrog is probably a variant of modern Patrick. Petroc, as he is generally known in Cornwall where he was patron saint, was a younger son of King Glywys Cernyw of Glywysing. (He may be identical to, or confused with, the legendary King Petroc Baladrddellt (Splintered Spear) of Cerniw). Upon his father's death, the people of Glywysing called for Pedrog to take on the crown of one the country's sub-divisions like his brothers. Petroc, however wished to pursue a religious life and left, with several followers, to study in Ireland.
"Some years later, Petroc and his band returned to Britain, landing on the shores of the River Camel in Cerniw (Cornwall). They were directed, by St. Samson, to the hermitage of St. Wethnoc who, seeing Petroc's superior piety agreed to give him his cell in return for Petroc naming the place Lanwethinoc (now Padstow - Petroc's Stow) in his honour. Petroc founded a monastery on the site but, after thirty years there, he decided to go on a pilgrimage to Rome, via Brittany. On his return journey, just as he reached Newton St. Petrock (Devon), it began to rain. Petroc predicted that this would soon stop, but it continued to rain for three days. In penance for such presumption, Petroc returned to Rome, traveled on to Jerusalem and finally settled in India where he lived for seven years on an island in the Indian Ocean.
"Petroc eventually returned to Britain (with a wolf companion he had met in India), but may have gone on a further pilgrimage to Ynys Enlli (Bardsey), founding churches at St. Petrox (Dyfed) and Llanbedrog (Lleyn) on the way. Back in Cerniw, with the help of Saints Wethnoc and Samson, he defeated a mighty serpent which the late King Teudar of Penwith had used to devour his enemies. This done, he departed from his monastery at Lanwethinoc (Padstow) to live as a hermit in the woods at Nanceventon (Little Petherick). Some of his fellow monks followed his example at Vallis Fontis (St. Petroc Minor). It was while in the wilderness that a hunted deer sought shelter in St. Petroc's cell. Petroc protected it from the hungry grasp of King Constantine of Dumnonia and managed to convert him to Christianity into the bargain.
"Petroc later moved still deeper into the Cornish countryside, where he discovered St. Guron living in a humble cell. Guron gave up his hermitage and moved south, allowing Petroc, with the backing of King Constantine, to establish a second monastery called Bothmena (Bodmin - the Abode of Monks) after the monks who lived there. Petroc eventually died at Treravel, while travelling between Nanceventon (Little Petherick) and Lanwethinoc (Padstow), and was buried at Padstow. The monks there later removed themselves, along with Petroc's body, to Bodmin where his beautiful Norman casket reliquary can still be seen today."
The following text is copied directly from:
http://www.padstowparishchurch.org.uk/padstowchurch.htm
"CHURCHES ON THE SITE
"There have been three churches over fourteen centuries on this site.
"The 6th Century Church - circa 518
"The first was built by Petroc in the 6th century. The church, monastery and all it contained were completely destroyed by the Vikings in 981. ...
"The only items from this early period are the head of a four holed Celtic cross on a modern shaft, outside the south door and the base of a very large cross by the south-east gate. This must have originally been deeply carved and most probably stood at the monastery gate. Before the Normans came the monastic establishment had moved to Bodmin. It is not known how long the church lay in ruins.
"The 12th Century Church - circa 1100
"Another church was built, Saxon, with possible Norman additions. The lower half of the tower dates from this period and is 6ft. thick. During recent repairs to the wall at the base of the arch, dated by Pevsner as 13th century, crumbling beachrock or sandstone was found. This could indicate that the church of 1100 was built of this and that is why it did not last very long. The sealed doorway was the entrance to stairs leading to the tower. It is not known exactly when this church fell into disrepair.
"The present Church - 1425 - 1450
"The cream stone for the columns came from Caen in Normandy, by sea. The dark grey stone in the windows and font is Dolerite which was quarried locally at Cataclews point near Harlyn Bay."
http://www.padstowparishchurch.org.uk/padstowchurch.htm
"THE STORY OF ST. PETROC
"A great deal is known about St. Petroc, there having been two 'Lives of Petroc' written in the middle ages and discovered in comparatively recent times in a library in Paris. A translation of the text of 'The Vita Petroci,' written in the 12th century, was published in 1930 by the late Canon G.H.Doble, called 'St. Petroc, Abbot and Confessor.'
"He was a Welshman of noble birth, who, having been educated in an Irish Monastery, the major seats of learning in those days, set out with a small band of followers, by sea, to spread the good news of the Gospel. The winds and tides brought him to the Padstow estuary.
"With the help of the local inhabitants he began to build at the top of the creek, the sea level coming further in than at present, first a church, and gradually other buildings, enlarging the establishment into a Celtic monastery complete with a school, infirmary, library, farm and cells for the monks.
"Having established the monastery and church here, Petroc travelled widely, founding other churches, first in Little Petherick and Bodmin and then in many parts of Britain, Wales and Brittany.
"The Celtic King Constantine ruled this area at that time and was said to have been converted to Christianity by St. Petroc, when the Saint rescued the deer that the King was hunting. There are many legends and tales about him of miracles, healings and the banishing of monsters."
The following text is copied from "St. Petroc"
http://www.cornwall-calling.co.uk/famous-cornish-people/st-petroc.htm
"St. Petroc landed in Cornwall from Ireland and spent 30 years in Padstow and founded his monastery here in the 6th century. St. Petroc later moved to Bodmin.
"St. Petroc gave his name to Padstow (Petroc's - stow) and to Little Petherick [between Padstow and Wadebridge]. He was the founder of Bodmin, which for some time was an Abbey-Bishopric, and remained the religious capital of Cornwall up to the end of the Middle Ages.
"Medieval Manuscripts
"We know about St. Petroc from the translation of the text of 'The Vita Petroci,' written in the 12th century. . . [a recent] translation was published in 1930 by the late Canon G. H. Doble, called 'St. Petroc, Abbot and Confessor.' Doble wrote extensively about the Saints of Cornwall.
"Soon after this a volume of forty five ‘Lives’ of English and Cornish saints written by contemporaries of St. Petroc was unearthed in the Ducal Library of Gotha, in Eastern Germany.
"The Gotha document described St. Petroc as being 'handsome in appearance, courteous in speech, prudent, simpleminded, modest, humble, a cheerful giver, burning with ceaseless charity, always ready for all the works of religion because while still a youth he had attained by watchful care the wisdom of riper years.'
"He was the younger son of King Glywys in Wales. On his father's death, he was offered the crown of part of the kingdom, but Petroc wanted to study for a religious life, and went to Ireland [with some of his friends].
"'Vita Petroci' describes their stay in Ireland for 20 years. The whole group then returned to Britain, apparently in the original ship, which had brought them to Ireland. St. Petroc is said to have landed at the mouth of the river Camel, near Trebetherick, in the 6th century.
"They took over the Celtic Monastery of Lanwethinoc, which had been founded by Bishop Wethinoc. The monastery became known as Petrocstow, Petroc's Church. The name Lanwethinoc remained long enough to be recorded in the Domesday Book as such. He began to build at the top of the creek, the sea level coming further in than at present, first a church, and then other buildings to make a complete Celtic monastery with a school, infirmary, library, farm and cells for the monks.
"The Gotha manuscript tells how, after about 30 years in Padstow, St. Petroc travelled to Rome and Brittany. He returned to Britain and as he reached Newton Saint Petroc (in Devon), it began to rain. Petroc predicted it would soon stop, but it rained for three days. As a self imposed penance for presuming to predict God's weather, Petroc returned to Rome, then to Jerusalem, then to India where he lived seven years on an island in the Indian Ocean.
"Gotha Manuscript records that St. Petroc set out from Padstow in about 518 and found Guron (or Vuron), a holy hermit, living in his hermitage at Bothmena or Bodmyia (the Abode of Monks). Guron left his hermitage to St. Petroc, and journeyed south to found another at Guron Haven (Gorran Haven). St. Petroc arrived with three of his fellow saints, Credan, Medan and Dechan.
"St. Guron had already discovered that this was a very good place to have his hermitage. It was near running water, there was a pool, many water springs, and it was in a sheltered the valley with good agricultural land. Before long St. Guron's hermitage was enlarged into a Priory of considerable size and importance. St. Petroc became the first Prior of Bodmin.
"He died circa 594 while traveling between Nanceventon and Lanwethinoc to visit disciples there. His relics and his handbell (the cimbalum) were used for for at least five hundred years after his death, and were preserved until the Reformation."
The following account is copied directly from:
http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/pedrogg.html
"St. Pedrog,
Abbot of Lanwethinoc
(c.468-564)
(Latin: Petrocus; English: Petrock)
"The name Pedrog is probably a variant of modern Patrick. Petroc, as he is generally known in Cornwall where he was patron saint, was a younger son of King Glywys Cernyw of Glywysing. (He may be identical to, or confused with, the legendary King Petroc Baladrddellt (Splintered Spear) of Cerniw). Upon his father's death, the people of Glywysing called for Pedrog to take on the crown of one the country's sub-divisions like his brothers. Petroc, however wished to pursue a religious life and left, with several followers, to study in Ireland.
"Some years later, Petroc and his band returned to Britain, landing on the shores of the River Camel in Cerniw (Cornwall). They were directed, by St. Samson, to the hermitage of St. Wethnoc who, seeing Petroc's superior piety agreed to give him his cell in return for Petroc naming the place Lanwethinoc (now Padstow - Petroc's Stow) in his honour. Petroc founded a monastery on the site but, after thirty years there, he decided to go on a pilgrimage to Rome, via Brittany. On his return journey, just as he reached Newton St. Petrock (Devon), it began to rain. Petroc predicted that this would soon stop, but it continued to rain for three days. In penance for such presumption, Petroc returned to Rome, traveled on to Jerusalem and finally settled in India where he lived for seven years on an island in the Indian Ocean.
"Petroc eventually returned to Britain (with a wolf companion he had met in India), but may have gone on a further pilgrimage to Ynys Enlli (Bardsey), founding churches at St. Petrox (Dyfed) and Llanbedrog (Lleyn) on the way. Back in Cerniw, with the help of Saints Wethnoc and Samson, he defeated a mighty serpent which the late King Teudar of Penwith had used to devour his enemies. This done, he departed from his monastery at Lanwethinoc (Padstow) to live as a hermit in the woods at Nanceventon (Little Petherick). Some of his fellow monks followed his example at Vallis Fontis (St. Petroc Minor). It was while in the wilderness that a hunted deer sought shelter in St. Petroc's cell. Petroc protected it from the hungry grasp of King Constantine of Dumnonia and managed to convert him to Christianity into the bargain.
"Petroc later moved still deeper into the Cornish countryside, where he discovered St. Guron living in a humble cell. Guron gave up his hermitage and moved south, allowing Petroc, with the backing of King Constantine, to establish a second monastery called Bothmena (Bodmin - the Abode of Monks) after the monks who lived there. Petroc eventually died at Treravel, while travelling between Nanceventon (Little Petherick) and Lanwethinoc (Padstow), and was buried at Padstow. The monks there later removed themselves, along with Petroc's body, to Bodmin where his beautiful Norman casket reliquary can still be seen today."
The following text is copied directly from:
http://www.padstowparishchurch.org.uk/padstowchurch.htm
"CHURCHES ON THE SITE
"There have been three churches over fourteen centuries on this site.
"The 6th Century Church - circa 518
"The first was built by Petroc in the 6th century. The church, monastery and all it contained were completely destroyed by the Vikings in 981. ...
"The only items from this early period are the head of a four holed Celtic cross on a modern shaft, outside the south door and the base of a very large cross by the south-east gate. This must have originally been deeply carved and most probably stood at the monastery gate. Before the Normans came the monastic establishment had moved to Bodmin. It is not known how long the church lay in ruins.
"The 12th Century Church - circa 1100
"Another church was built, Saxon, with possible Norman additions. The lower half of the tower dates from this period and is 6ft. thick. During recent repairs to the wall at the base of the arch, dated by Pevsner as 13th century, crumbling beachrock or sandstone was found. This could indicate that the church of 1100 was built of this and that is why it did not last very long. The sealed doorway was the entrance to stairs leading to the tower. It is not known exactly when this church fell into disrepair.
"The present Church - 1425 - 1450
"The cream stone for the columns came from Caen in Normandy, by sea. The dark grey stone in the windows and font is Dolerite which was quarried locally at Cataclews point near Harlyn Bay."
Photo from www.cornishchurches.com/Cornwall%20Churches/Padstow%20Church%20Cornwall%20-%20St.%20Petroc/index.htm