Day 7 - 23 August - Feast date proves a mystery

Well, I've heard back from the lovely Alan at Morwenstow and have discovered that they don't actually celebrate St. Morwenna there at all! (poor thing!) they do celebrate St.John though on the 24th June...(who the church is also dedicated to). 
You know I'm not actually sure why it is dedicated to two saints, but according to Alan, it was Hawker who introduced St. Morwenna to the church. So was it only know as St. John' before Hawker arrived? I find this hard to believe - so have asked the question and will see what comes out of that. He also couldn't help me with what her feast day is and said that they were planning on organising an annual pilgrimage out to the cliffs where her well is on this date, but as they couldn't actually agree on a date no such event has ever taken place......yet..:-)  So I've offered to share what I learn (haven't mentioned that I'm planning on following her journey yet? Should I?) yeah I think I should>


brrr it's just got really cold here....!


I've also fished out some books that I bought way back (love the charity shops!) that I thought might be useful. The books might actually be too late in history - but I expect they will give me some information about life during that time. They are:

• The Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black
• Medieval Lives by Terry Jones
• Old school history books by Myself!! ;-) 

Have also decided to create a special loaf and call it Saint Morwenna's loaf  (I know I mentioned bread earlier - but just had that idea today) - which will be eaten on her feast day (once I've found out when that is...)  Any ideas about the shape of the bread? ah what about in the shape of her cross? There's one in the churchyard there. Or one that represents learning or teaching?

Ah before I forget I did also read that she was....wait for it....a PRINCESS (this just keeps getting better and better - so before she became a Saint she was Princess Morwenna - which of course makes sense if she was the daughter of a king. Never actually occurred to be before. However, there is a dispute about whether she was actually his daughter or his granddaughter. 


She also studied in Ireland before going to Cornwall - along with a lot (I don't know how many) of her brothers and sisters. She was also a teacher.


I've also asked Alan if he knows who designed the Hawker Memorial window that features St. Morwenna and if the original drawings exist and if I can see them. I also want to know where the image of Saint Morwenna came from. Was it just the artists imagination? or was she based on an actual lady from Morwenstow at that time? ooh that would be exciting if that was the case and I could find out who she was! 


until tomorrow...