Celtic and Old English Saints 4 November =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Clether of Cornwall * St. Brinstan of Winchester =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Clether (Clederus) of Cornwall, Hermit -------------------------------------------------------- St Clether is a small village beside the River Inney with the parish church standing some distance away. A little way on from the church following the river stands what is considered Cornwall's most beautifully situated Holy Well. There are over two hundred Holy Wells in Cornwall (indeed there is one on the next village - Laneast), however few can compere with the beauty and tranquillity of the well & chapel at St Clether (pictured on the web page http://www.bodminmoor.co.uk/stclether.html ). Tucked away in complete isolation and only reachable by a footpath across a moorland meadow, thesmall chapel stands between the river and an outcrop of limestone rocks. The spring bubbles up behind the chapel and then the water flows under the altar and leaves the building to join the river below. Possibly originally built in the 5th Century by a Welsh saint named St Clederus the well was rebuilt in the 15th Century and restored in 1895. St. Brinstan, Bishop and Confessor of Winchester (Birnstan, Beornstan, Brintan, Brynstan) -------------------------------------------------------- Died November 4, c. 934. According to William of Malmesbury, in 931, Saint Birnstan succeeded Saint Frithestan (f.d. September 10) in the see of Winchester. This disciple of Saint Grimbald (f.d.July 8) was noted for his devotion to the departed for whose repose he nightly repeated the Psalms. He also frequently said prayers for them in the cemetery (and once was answered, "Amen!"). Daily he washed the feet of some of the poor, whom he served at table and performed other works of charity. His cultus was neglected for some time until Saint Ethelwold (f.d.August 1) had a vision of Birnstan which showed that he enjoyed glory in heaven equal to that of the more popular Saints Birinus (f.d. December 3) and Swithun (f.d. July 15) of Winchester (Benedictines, Farmer, Husenbeth). Lives kindly supplied by: For All the Saints: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
