Wyllow

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St Wyllow window in St Olaf's Church, Poughill (1914)

Wyllow was a Cornish hermit saint and martyr[1] whose existence was reported by William Worcester.

He was said to have been born in Ireland but worked in Cornwall.

He was reputedly beheaded by Melyn ys Kynrede ("Melyn's kinfolk"[2]) in the parish of Lanteglos, near Fowey. Supposedly, he then carried his head for half a mile to St Willow's Bridge, where a church was later built in his honour.[3] Nicholas Roscarrock gives his feast day as 3 June. He is still commemorated in Cornwall, with the 15th century St. Wyllow's Church.[4] built by Thomas Mohun at Lanteglos-by-Fowey.[5][6]

He is also known as Vylloc and his dates of birth and death are unknown, though it is likely that he lived in the 6th century. St. Willow is regarded as the patron of Lanteglos.[7]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Farmer, David Hugh. (1978). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  2. ^ Taylor, Thomas (1916). The Celtic Christianity of Cornwall. Longmans, Green and Company. p. 126. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Lanteglos". Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  4. ^ Churches, Holy Wells & Saints.
  5. ^ David Ross, Lanteglos-by-Fowey, St Wyllow Church.
  6. ^ Nicholas Orme, The Saints of Cornwall (OUP Oxford, 2000 pp225.)
  7. ^ The Celtic Christianity of Cornwall: Divers Sketches and Studies; by Thomas Taylor (Longmans, Green and Co.. 1916)