Holy Virgin-Martyr Iwerydd of Chittlehampton

Saint Iwerydd of Chittlehampton

The eighth of July is the feast-day in the Orthodox Church of Iwerydd of Chittlehampton, a Brythonic maiden who was beheaded on account of her belief. Saint Iwerydd [also Urith in English or Hieritha in Latin] lived probably in the sixth century, probably shortly after Saint Teneu (the sister of Saint Kea) and Saint Gwenffrewi. She was born at East Stowford near Swimbridge in Devon. She was baptised into Christianity and consecrated to God in holy virginity by Saint Kea, and left her home to found a hermitage at Chittlehampton, where she also constructed a church. She spent all her time there, in solitary prayer and ascetic disciplines.

The traditional story of her Life is remarkably similar to the tales of Saints Sidwell and Juðwara, two other West Country Brythonic virgin-martyrs who were killed around the same time and under similar circumstances. There was a drought one season, and her still-pagan stepmother blamed the loss of the crops on her stepdaughter’s new faith. She urged several female field-workers to go to Chittlehampton and kill her. The women took her out of her hermitage and beheaded her with their scythes. Where her head fell on the drought-stricken soil, at once a spring of purest water gushed forth, and wherever her blood touched the earth scarlet pimpernels began to blossom.

Another version of her story holds that her hermitage in Chittlehampton was attacked, not by her family, but by heathen invaders. Saint Iwerydd attempted to witness to them, but they slew her with their swords. Given the time in which she lived, these invaders would likely have been West Saxons, who were at that time harassing and invading their British neighbours all along the West Country.

Nevertheless, Saint Urith’s Well still exists, and her remains were very possibly hidden securely – like those of Saint Gwen in Dorset – from the ravages of the Reformation. Her cultus has proven enormously popular in the West Country, and Urith is still a common name for girls there. Every eighth of July, after a procession to her holy well, local children lay flowers and garlands on her grave in the church. Holy virgin-martyr Iwerydd, pray to Christ our God for us sinners!