Pennant Melangell

Today I stopped off at Pennant Melangell church near Llangynog in Carmarthenshire.Melangell was a female saint of the 7th century. According to tradition she came here from Ireland and lived as a hermit in the valley. One day Brochwel, Prince of Powys, was hunting and pursued a hare which took refuge under Melangell's cloak. The Prince's hounds fled, and he was moved by her courage and sanctity. He gave her the valley as a place of sanctuary and Melangell became Abbess of a small religious community. After her death her memory continued to be honoured and Pennant Melangell has since been a place of pilgrimage for many centuries. Melangell remains the patron saint of hares.