Day 4 - 20 August 2011 - Learning more things..

Have found out today that there is a 55mile path all the way from the Breacon Becons to Cardiff - called 'The Taff Trail' which is great news! Haven't looked at it in detail yet but have found a link:

http://www.brecon-beacons.com/taf-trail-long-distance-footpath.htm

It takes in Castle Coch, among other sites on route - I LOVE this castle. It's just the perfect fairy tale castle. So looks like a really beautiful route.

Also learnt today that St. Morwenna might have died in the early part of the 6th Century on the 24th July, so she could have been about 120 when she passed?? hang on that can't be right can it? The expected age for around that time was 30 - and that was if you were lucky. So something isn't adding up here.

Other things I've learnt so far:

• Morwhenna - translates as Sea Maiden and is often used as the celtic name for a mermaid
• There is a book about the Rev Stephen Hawker called 'Hawker Of Morwenstow: Portrait of a Victorian Eccentric' by Dr Piers Brendon. So going to hunt down a copy
• Whisky didn't exist then, so St. Morwennna would have had to make do with weak beer. This is rather dissapointing as I was *hoping* to include a trip to the Penderyn Distillery...http://www.welsh-whisky.co.uk/the-distillery.aspx. They produce a very fine whisky indeed.
• I've found my original letter from The Bard of Cornwall - who says "a name to be very proud of" among other things.
• Also found in an old research folder from collage reference to the font at St. Morwenna's Church as it's Saxon and still in use (so again that's been in my posession for years - but I'd never noticed it before)
• Have emailed 'Morwenna the psychic' for a reading!

There also seem to be some confusion around the date of her feast day. My plan is to travel her route and to arrive at Morwenstow on her feast day - which I had read as being on the 5th July - But I've seen a few different websites say it's the 8th July. So I've emailed the curate again to find out what date they celebrate in Morwenstow, as I asked when I was at the tearooms if they held any celebrations there - they said no, but that they do in the village. 

st. Morwenna - Taken from Catholic Online Website (http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5168)

Cornish virgin, the titular patron of several sites in the region. Her emblem was always a tall cross. She was also depicted teaching children how to read.

hmmm guess the virgin bit puts paid to any ideas I had about her having been married and having children. But we'll see what else comes up during my investigations!


and what does titular mean? here we go:  "Holding or constituting a purely formal position or title without any real authority: "the queen is titular head of the Church of England".

ah laptop just decided to turn it's self off and on again, so think it's now time for bed...well it is 03.20..;-0


Nos dha