Brannoc of Braunton or Saint Brannock was a Christian saint associated with the village of Braunton in the English county of Devon. His feast is 7 January.

Saint Brannoc
Born6th century
supposedly Wales
DiedBraunton in North Devon
Venerated inAnglican Communion, the Orthodox Church and Roman Catholicism
Major shrineBraunton in North Devon (destroyed)
Feast26 June or 7 January.

Life edit

The history of St Brannoc is confused – some sources conflate him with Saint Brynach, however Exeter Cathedral celebrates the feast of Brynach on 7 April and that of Brannoc on 7 January so it is unlikely that they are the same saint.[1][2] In contrast, Braunton celebrates St Brannock's Day on the 26 June.[citation needed]

Brannock migrated from South Wales to establish a monastery at Braunton in the 6th century.[3][4] Braunton church was dedicated to him from at least 854 and in the Middle Ages it was believed that he was buried in the church[5] with both William of Worcester and Leland stating that he was buried there.[6] Tradition states that he first built his church on a hill overlooking Braunton, but it collapsed. In a dream he was told to look for a sow and seven piglets for the site to build his new church. This story is commemorated in one of the stained glass windows and in a roof boss of St Brannock's Church, Braunton.[1]

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b "St. Brannock, Abbot of Braunton". Celtic and Old English Saints. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  2. ^ Farmer, David (January 2011). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. ISBN 9780199596607. Retrieved 14 July 2019 – via Oxford Index.
  3. ^ Stanton, Father Richard (1887). "Saint Brannock, Abbot, Confessor, c.570". Menology of England and Wales. Retrieved 16 July 2019 – via catholicsaints.info.
  4. ^ Monks of Ramsgate (1921). "Brannock". Book of Saints. Retrieved 16 July 2019 – via catholicsaints.info.
  5. ^ Orme, Nicholas (1996). English Church Dedications. Exeter: University of Exeter Press. ISBN 0-85989-516-5.
  6. ^ Hoskins, W.G. (2003). Devon. Andover, Hampshire, UK: Philimore & Co. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-86077-270-2.

External links edit