Melor

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^[1].

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

1. ^ Baring-Gould, Sabine. Cliff Castles and Cave Dwellings of Europe, 1911, Chapter 7 [1]

• 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

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