Madron (saint)

Saint Madron or Maddern was a Pre-Congregational Saint, monk and hermit.[1] He is honoured in Wales and Brittany, and in Cornwall at St Maddern's Church in the village of Madron. He also has a Holy well, noted for its healing powers.[2][3]

Madron was born in Cornwall and was a disciple of Saint Ciarán of Saigir. Very little is known of him except that many miracles were attributed to him.[4] He died c.545 AD near Land’s End, Cornwall, and is remembered in Madron Parish Church (Madron Village) and his Feast Day is 17 May.

Identification

John T. Koch [5] has suggested that the saint was not a historical figure but rather a Christianisation of the Mythical Celtic Modron the mother goddess. Indeed, some aspects of the veneration at Madron's well do appear to derive from Pagan origins.

Others [6][7] have suggested that the saint's life is a retelling of the story of St. Madrun, a daughter of Vortimer, a king of Gwent.

  • The baptistry near Madron Well
  • Basin in the south-west corner of the baptistry
  • Altar at the eastern end of the baptistry
  • A wayside cross, Boswarthen (near Madron Well)

Notes
  1. Saints.SQPN.com 2014.
  2. Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine's Abbey 1931.
  3. Butler 1866.
  4. Celtic and Old English Saints 2014.
  5. Koch 2006, p. 1299.
  6. Haycock 2007.
  7. Gruffydd 1953, p. 98.
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References
  • Haycock, Marged (2007). Legendary poems from the Book of Taliesin. CMCS. ISBN 978-0-9527478-9-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gruffydd, William John (1953). Rhiannon: An Inquiry Into the Origin of the First and Third Branches of the Mabinogi. University of Wales Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Koch, John T. (2006). Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia. Vol. 1-. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-440-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "St. Madron of Cornwall, Hermit". Celtic and Old English Saints. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  • Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine's Abbey (1931). The Book of Saints. A Dictionary. A. & C. Black.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Butler, Alban (1866). The lives of the fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints. J. Duffy.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "Saint Madron of Cornwall". Saints.SQPN.com. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
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