The beginning......The school history books used to state that Christianity came to England with
St Augustine.
The earlier Celtic missionaries from the 5th -8th centuries were very active, zealous, and prepared
to risk their lives. The Irish sea was equivalent to the M1 for missionary journeys from Ireland
to Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, Scotland and the north east coast of England.
The stories of these saints have an allegorical element. Like Gwinear, some struck the ground
with a staff of alder rand brought forth 'living water'. Newlyn came from Wales with her
brother Brecon, the legend tells that she struck the ground in the area now known as Newlyn East with an elder
stem, and from that very spot there grew a fig tree.....first fruits of a future great spiritual journey from a young
lady with a mission.
In St Michael's story we even have the exact date in relation to Cornwall's most distinctive and
beautiful setting. The story goes that, on 8th May 485AD, local fishermen working in Mount's Bay
saw a vision of St Michael, the archangel said to have defeated Satan in combat.
They took this vision to be evidence of God's protective hand over them. A little statue of
St Michael defeating Satan can now be seen in the chapel on at the top of the Mount.
A most well chosen guardian for Cornwall! There are well worn pilgrimage routes from
different directions meeting at the departure point for in the bay named in honour of St
Michael.