Brannoc of Braunton or Saint Brannock was a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

associated with the village of

Braunton Braunton is a large village, civil parish, ecclesiastical parish and former manor in Devon. The village is situated west of Barnstaple. It is one of the largest villages in Devon with a population at the 2021 census of 10,217 people. There a ...

in the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

county of

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

. His feast is 7 January.

Life

The history of St Brannoc is confused – some sources conflate him with

Saint Brynach Saint Brynach was a 6th-century Welsh saint. He is traditionally associated with Pembrokeshire, where several churches are dedicated to him. Life A 12th-century account of Brynach's life states that sometime in the early 6th century, Brynach tr ...

, however

Exeter Cathedral Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England. The present building was complete by about 140 ...

celebrates the feast of Brynach on 7 April and that of Brannoc on 7 January so it is unlikely that they are the same saint. In contrast, Braunton celebrates St Brannock's Day on the 26 June. Brannock migrated from

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

to establish a

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

at Braunton in the 6th century. Braunton church was dedicated to him from at least 854 and in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

it was believed that he was buried in the church with both

William of Worcester William Worcester, also called William of Worcester, William Worcestre or William Botoner (1415) was an English topographer, antiquary and chronicler. Life He was a son of another William of Worcester, a Bristol whittawer (worker in white leather ...

and Leland stating that he was buried there. Tradition states that he first built his church on a hill overlooking Braunton, but it collapsed. In a dream he was told to look for a sow and seven piglets for the site to build his new church. This story is commemorated in one of the stained glass windows and in a roof boss of

St Brannock's Church St Brannock's Church is a medieval Church of England church in Braunton, Devon, England. According to legend it was founded by Saint Brannock, a 6th-century Christian saint. It became a Grade I listed building on 25 February 1965. History The pr ...

, Braunton.

Notes

External links

St.Brannock's church web site
Retrieved May 2012

Retrieved May 2012 {{DEFAULTSORT:Brannoc of Braunton People from Braunton Southwestern Brythonic saints Medieval Welsh saints 6th-century Christian saints