Who was Saint Morwenna?

St.Morwenna window at her church in Morwenstow

Here's what I know so far...I'll be adding to this as I find out more information. then it might need a complete re-write!


St.Morwenna was one of the daughters of a Welsh King - Brychan Brycheiniog who lived in the Brecon Beacons and is said to have had 36 children, and all his daughters were supposed to be beautiful. 


she was born around AD 480. (That's 1,531 years ago! WOW). and is believed to have died on the 24th July in  the early 6th Century. So she would have been in her late twenties, early thirties.


Personally I think she was his granddaughter as reading one piece of information suggested that she was actually born 'after' he had died.

Pew end at Sheepstor Church - Dartmoor.
Depicts her brother, St.Nectan holding her up to 
see her homeland in her last moments.

She travelled to a place called Hennacliff - which was later renamed Morwenstow and built a church there. Apparently she chose that spot as on a clear day she could see her home land of Wales. This image is actually depicted on a pew end (the mystery I helped solve) at a church in Sheepstor, Dartmoor.


I'd also discovered that her feast day was 5th July - so had decided to adopt this as my 'summer birthday' (my 'official' birthday being 23 November)...


She was taught in Ireland and would have spoken 'Celtish'. She was a teacher and images depict her teaching children how to read. However, I haven't yet discovered what she was the patron saint of. 


I have just discovered that one of her many sisters (?) or aunts (?) Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers.