St Keyne (5th Century) was born at Brecknock in Wales. She was one of twelve daughters to the King of Brychan Brycheiniog (Brecon) who is said to have had twenty-four children from three marriages.
St Keyne travelled throughout Wales and, Somerset and Cornwall in England, establishing Churches including, Llangeinor in mid-Glamorgan, Llangunnor and Llangain in Dyfed, and Rockfield (Llangennon) in Runston, Gwent.
St Keyne became a hermitess and lived for several years along the banks of the Severn in Somerset.
The town of St Keyne in Cornwall and it’s associated Church and Well is named after her. The plaque inscription at the well reads:
“The legend of Saint Keyne Well.
Saint Keyne was a princess who lived about 600 AD. She laid on the waters of this well a spell thus described by Richard Carew in 1602 AD—’The quality that man or wife whom chance or choice attains first of this sacred spring to drink thereby the mastery gains.’”
St Keyne, influenced by her nephew, St Cadoc, returned to Wales around 490 where she died, possibly at Llangeinor in Glamorgan.
St Keyne’s Feast Day is the 8th October. She is the Patron Saint of St Martin-by-Looe (Penndrumm).
St Keyne:
Pray that we will celebrate the teachings of our great faith with our family and our wider community.
Glory be to the…