Stayed up way past my
bedtime last night as I uncovered some more things about St.Morwenna....maybe becoming a 'Tad' obsessive! So as a result didn't do any research today, but here's what I gleaned yesterday!
These are in no particular
order of discovery. I’d started putting together a timeline to work out where
she slotted into history – how long after the Romans had left was she born
(about 60 years), when the Saxon's arrived (450AD) etc..then got slightly distracted by doing another google
search to see what else I could find.
Well then….
Mystery window in Suffolk.
I found a mystery window
in a church in Cavendish, Suffolk for one thing! It popped up on someone’s
flicker page: Here’s what it says:
‘Cavendish St Mary. Saint Morwenna
A tiny window high in the west wall of
the tower of St Mary's, Cavendish. This appears to show St Morwenna in her
traditional Cornish cliff setting but how did she end up in the Stour Valley
being asked to pray for us? The kind person who showed us the window said it
was donated in 1947 by a parishioner named Morwenna but knew nothing of its age
or history. Does anyone recognise the arms , as they may offer a clue? It has,
perhaps, come from a private chapel. But , if so, then where was it? It feels
as though there is a story here!’
Click on the link to view it as I don’t have approval from the
photographer to share it yet.
I’ve emailed them to see
if they’ve found out any more information of how it got there, but had no
response yet. Also contacted the vicar at the church to see if they know the
details of its history. Another mystery to be
solved!!
Who is Maureen Wilson?
Also came across an e-book
called ‘Morwenna’ written by Maureen Wilson – in I *think* 1996. I’ve not be
able to find any hard copies (nothing on Amazon) or anything about Maureen Wilson
herself yet. But it’s 13 chapters of very interesting and helpful information – She had done a lot of research by the look of it. I haven’t read it all in detail yet, but some things stood out – the fact she
would have been a healer and a herbalist and Maureen thinks St.Morwenna
actually lived until she was in her 60s.
She would have been very well educated
and would have been taught many ‘skills’ including how to farm. Maureen also
thinks that she actually originates from Ireland (Killearny) and that the 24 children of Brychan,
12 girls 12 boys, were in actual fact not his real children at all, rather ‘students’
that joined his order and then were taught by him. If anyone can let me know
how I can go about finding out who Maureen Wilson is – and what drew her to
write about St.Morwenna – I’d love to know! So will have a proper read of that
and will add my learnings! ;-) I found it on Geocities?
Then I came across a model
called Morwenna Lytton Cobbold - From Premier model
agency website: is a British model, DJ and heiress to the Knebworth Estate in
Hertfordshire. A former face of Burberry she has modelled for designers
including Christopher Kane, Vivienne Westwood, Aquascutum and Richard Nicholl
and has shot for British Vogue, Italian Vogue, i-D and Dazed.
I
read an interview with her where she tells a lovely story how she got her name
and about how St.Morwenna used to sail around the North Cornish coast in a
seashell to warn sailors of the rocks and to keep them safe. I’d not heard that
anywhere before and really liked it! Really conjured up lots of beautiful
images, of her in a pearly pink shell and the rough harsh Cornish waves
smashing against the rocks. (hmmm Children’s book in there I think!)….Next
project maybe ;-)
Dwynwen, Welsh patron
saint of lovers
My the internet is a
wonderful thing! Came across a welsh children’s book written by Sian Lewis
about Dwynwen, Welsh patron saint of lovers, who was one of St. Morwenna’s
‘sisters’!
The story goes that thwarted
in love by her father ‘not allowing her to marry Maelon, the man she loved’ Dwynwen prayed and
angel came and gave her three wishes:
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Firstly, she wished to be free of Maelon, and he
vanished;
Her second wish was that she would never marry and
the third that she could help other lovers. She wanted to spend her life
helping anyone who was in pain through love.
The cult of Dwynwen has existed for centuries
and people have always made pilgrimages to Llanddwyn. There are still the
remains of the church and they hold a service each year.
Read the full article
here:
I’ve contacted the
publishers and they’ve given me Sian’s address, I’m interested to find out if
she learnt anything of St.Morwenna whilst she was researching Dwynwen.
I think that St.Morwenna was a patron saint of children
in some way as most things appear to mention her teaching, but I’ve yet to come
across anything that clear states St. Morwenna, patron saint of….???
Ummm what else did I discover?
- There is a St.Morwenna’s Endurance Ride on the 17 June. (Mum's Birthday - miss you) Started last year and is a horse riding event. No I haven’t signed up to do it.
- There is a Dr. Morwenna Ludlow, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Religion at Exeter University who is an expert in the time period of 100-500 AD. (PERFECT so she’s bound to know loads!) Will contact her.
- There were a few thousand people living in Britain in the 5th century. Today there are around 62 million (2010 figures).
- Morwenstow is known as Lannvorwenna in Cornish
- Registered to be in The Bristol Zombie Film. Will know on Wednesday if we’ve been successful....
Also been contemplating if I should actually tie this
trip in with the Marhamchurch Revel which is in August and does celebrate
St.Morwenna? Perfect example of my usual ‘feet first approach’ hadn’t really
crossed my mind to do that until this morning!!
I guess I’d seen it as being
about Morwenstow and her feast day –
which is in July, and going by what Maureen Wilson says in her ‘book’ she had
two celebrations – one in Morwenstow in July and one at Marhamchurch in August.
It rather depends on the sailing bit really. So once I’ve spoken with the
lovely people at Swansea Museum, will work out what’s best to do. There and plus
and minuses for both! Sticking to the 5th at the moment.
I think that’s
it for the moment - time for a hot chocolate.. or should that be a glass of metheglin?
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