Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
BBC Countryfile Magazine

In search of... LOST SAINTS

Deep in the heart of a green valley in the Berwyn Mountains, surrounded by gnarled and fissured yews, lies a tiny church. This simple stone structure, built almost 1,000 years ago, is dedicated to a little-known saint once revered for her love of nature. Inside is the oldest Romanesque shrine in northern Europe – a shrine said to harbour the relics of that saint. Her name? Melangell.

Like many other saints, Melangell’s tale is remembered by few these days. What better time of year to explore the more tranquil corners of these islands, seeking out these mystical figures from the dawn of Christianity, than All Saints Day?

These days, Halloween celebrations are more or less over in one night. But

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from BBC Countryfile Magazine

BBC Countryfile Magazine1 min read
How To Dye Your Own Fabric
1. Take a note of the weight of your dry fabric. ‘Scour’ your fabric by washing it in your machine at 40°C with an eco-detergent. 2. To brighten the colours and create a colourfast bond, ‘mordant’ your fabric. Add aluminium sulphate (the amount you n
BBC Countryfile Magazine2 min read
Mole In One
Moles are the Banksy of British mammals. Their work appears without prior notice, startling us as we glance out a car window or stroll rural footpaths. Their canvases are our fields and woods, redesigned overnight with unmapped ranges of tiny conical
BBC Countryfile Magazine2 min read
Brilliant Bilberries
Low down among the heathers and scrubby plants of acidic moors and heathland, or in dappled woods of birch, pine or oak, dwells a springy-stemmed plant known as the bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus). A seasonal highlight for foragers, the tiny blue-blac

Related Books & Audiobooks