Venerable Eilian, Hermit of Cornwall

Saint Eilian of Cornwall

The thirteenth of January in the Orthodox Church is the feast-day of the præ-Schismatic Western Saint Eilian, a Brythonic saint and hermit who evangelised in Cornwall in the middle of the fifth century. He is said to be related to Bishop Isfael of Rhos.

Saint Eilian [also Elian or Allen], supposedly came to Wales from Rome, bringing with him oxen and other livestock. When he landed at Ynys Môn, the king in Gwynedd (an ancestor of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and thus also of the present blogger) agreed to grant him as much land as his pet hind could traverse in a day. Unfortunately, Saint Eilian’s hind was chased down and killed by a greyhound. Eilian grieved deeply, and ordained that no greyhound would again be allowed to set paw on Ynys Môn. Eilian may have been from either Cornwall or Brittany, and he established several churches in the areas he evangelised. The most famous of these is at St Allen in Cornwall. He did also build one in Llanelian in Rhos, North Wales, however, around 450 AD – and another on Ynys Môn at Porth Eilian.

There are also holy wells there, one in Rhos and one on Ynys Môn, which are said to have sprung up by Saint Eilian’s prayers when he thirsted. He blessed the well in Rhos saying that anyone who came there with faith in Christ should be granted their wish. This well seems to have attracted a number of people in subsequent centuries who went there for motives which were less than pure, and it gained an insalubrious reputation as ‘the cursing well’. However, the well was also the site of wondrous healings, and as late as the nineteenth century locals were tying strips of cloth to trees with woollen string, or floating corks with pins in the well in search of miraculous cures. Saint Eilian was especially invoked for the healing of sick children. Holy father Eilian, pray unto Christ our God that our souls may be saved!

Church of St Allen, St Allen, Cornwall