Melor (also known in
Latin as
Melorius; in
Cornish as
Mylor; in
French as
Méloir; and other variations) was a
Breton saint who, in
England, was venerated particularly in
Wiltshire where he was
titular of
Amesbury Abbey, which claimed his
relics.
Identity
Melor had a popular
cult in
Brittany, but his story has been obfuscated by a number of biographers who confused names, dates and places to the point where reality has been almost completely obscured. There actually appear to have been at least three, if not four, saints of this or similar name:
Prince Melor of Cornouaille
Saint Mylor of Cornwall
Saint Meglar of Cornwall
Bishop Melor of Redon
The first and second individuals are generally believed to be the same, and the Melor commonly identified as the
Amesbury saint.
Breton legend
Melor's legend makes him a
prince who was only seven when his uncle, Riwal, murdered his father,
St Miliau or Milio. Riwal wished the child's death also, but was dissuaded from carrying out his intentions by a council of
bishops. At their intervention, he decided instead to maim the boy, cutting off his right hand (later replaced by a
silver prosthesis) and left foot (replaced with one of
bronze). Melor was then sent away to
Quimper Abbey to be educated. Here, his metal limbs began to work as if they were natural, and to grow along with him. By the time the prince was fourteen, Riwal decided that he must die and ordered his guardian, Cerialtan, to kill him. The boy was
decapitated. Riwal is said to have touched the severed head and to have died three days after. Melor was subsequently buried at
Lanmeur.
The cult of St Melor in Brittany grew to considerable importance and there are a number of place names and dedications to him. Locmélar (hermitage of Melor) is a parish in Finistère. The parish of Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, in eastern Brittany, was founded by the monks of Mont Saint-Michel in the early 11th century.
Melor in England
Melor's cult probably spread to Cornwall from Brittany. There are churches dedicated to him at
Mylor and
Linkinhorne.
In the 10th century, Melor's body is said to have been taken on tour to England. When it was placed on the altar at Amesbury Abbey, it was prevented from being removed by the saint's own power. This legend was likely invented to explain presence of Melor's relics at Amesbury. It seems likely that, along with those of other Breton saints such as Branwalader and Samson, they were really collected by King Athelstan, and given by him to monasteries in which he had a special interest, as happened to Milton Abbey. Amesbury was to become among the most famous of English medieval monasteries but, despite the nuns producing their own version of Mellor's 'vita', William of Malmesbury could not discover any information about its patron.
Feast Day
The
feast day of Prince Melor is 1 October. This is the date celebrated at
Exeter Cathedral, although there are also alternative dates used in Cornwall. Bishop Melor's day is 4 December.
References
Farmer, David Hugh (1978) The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Orme, Nicholas. (2000). The Saints of Cornwall. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Doble, G. H. (1964) The Saints of Cornwall: part 3. Truro: Dean and Chapter; pp. 20–52
Category:Christian saints in unknown century
Category:Breton saints
Category:Cornish saints
Category:Year of birth missing
Category:Year of death missing
