Saint of the day:
Patron Saint of Devon and Cornwall
The Story of Saint Petroc
Saint Petroc or Petrock (Medieval Latin: Petrocus; Welsh: Pedrog; French: Perreux; c. 468 – c. 564) was a British prince and Christian saint. Probably born in South Wales, he primarily ministered to the Britons of Devon (Dewnans) and Cornwall (Kernow) then forming the kingdom of Dumnonia where he is associated with a monastery at Padstow, which is named after him (Pedroc-stowe, or 'Petrock's Place'). Padstow appears to have been his earliest major cult centre, but Bodmin became the major centre for his veneration when his relics were moved to the monastery there in the later ninth century. Bodmin monastery became one of the wealthiest Cornish foundations by the eleventh century. There is a second ancient dedication to him nearby at Little Petherick or "Saint Petroc Minor". In Devon ancient dedications total a probable seventeen (plus Timberscombe just over the border in Somerset), mostly coastal and including one within the old Roman walls of Exeter as well as the villages of Petrockstowe and Newton St Petroc. In Wales his name is commemorated at St Petrox near Pembroke, Ferwig near Cardigan and Llanbedrog on the Llŷn Peninsula. He also became a popular saint in Brittany by the end of the tenth century.
Saint Petroc and the Animals
Petroc came to Cornwall with a mission, a mission to convert all of Cornwall to Christianity. He landed on the sands at Trebetheric, on the mouth of the River Camel, and founded a monastery at Lanwethinoc. Sometimes he felt sociable and lived with the other monks at Lanwethinoc, sometimes he craved solitude and lived as a hermit, but he always had time for God's creatures.
One day Petroc was praying in a wood, when he heard the sound of hunting horns and a struggle of animals in the bracken. A pretty, yellow-brown fawn freed itself and ran towards him. In close pursuit were four huntsmen on horseback and a pack of dogs. Then Prince Constantine himself appeared. Constantine was a warrior prince, son of one of King Arthur's knights, always waging war on other Cornish princes, and when he wasn't fighting princes he was hunting animals. Seeing Petroc standing with the fawn, the huntsmen called off their dogs but the Prince shouted, ‘Give me back my prize and stay out of the path of the hunt.’
‘This little animal is under my protection,’ said Petroc, he held some food on his hand, for the fawn to eat. When Petroc refused to move away from the fawn, Constantine raised his war sword in anger. Petroc took a deep breath, looked Constantine in the eyes and prayed. He prayed and asked god to hold paralysis over the angry hunter. The prince stood frozen to the spot.
‘I will only release you Constantine, if you become a Christian and give up your fighting ways,’ said Saint Petroc.
Feeling great pain in every part of his body and unable to move, Constantine agreed. Saint Petroc released the fawn back into the wild and it ran off happy and free. Constantine joined Petroc’s monastery and lived in prayer under Petroc’s guidance for the rest of his life. Constantine built a hermitage and well above what is now known as Constantine Bay and spent many months of the year alone there in prayer. He joined the ranks of Cornish saints..no longer Prince Constantine but Saint Constantine.
The Rain, the Silver Fish, and the Wolf
It was always raining in North Cornwall near the monastery. One day Petroc predicted the rain would stop the next day .. but the next day the rain still fell in rivers. Petroc was mortified, his power of prophesy had failed, maybe he wasn't such a good holy man anymore. He decided to go on a pilgrimage to become more holy, so he travelled to the Holy Land and then on to India. One day he was standing by the sea, it was so hot and he was dreaming of Cornish rain, when he saw a silver bowl in the water. Petroc climbed into the bowl and floated to an island. There he lived for seven years, every day eating one silver fish he caught in a pond. The fish returned every day to be eaten again.
One day the shining silvery bowl floated up on the sea again, and Petroc climbed in and sailed back to shore. A wolf was waiting for him. It had guarded Petroc's staff and sheepskin for 7 years while the saint was on the island. The wolf stayed as Petroc's loyal companion till the end of his days.
They travelled back to Cornwall. Petroc decided it was time to move on from Lanwethinoc, and went in search of a new place to live with some of his friends. They visited St Guran in his hermitiage at Bodmin. Guran found it too crowded with visitors ~ he was a hemit after all, so he moved to the coast and found haven there, while Petroc and his friends stayed and founded Bodmin Prioiry. The first thing they did was dig a lake, for Petroc still liked fish for his dinner.
Though he moved to Bodmin Petroc is still remembered in North Cornwall. They named a town after him, a town on the opposite banks of the River Camel to his first landing place. Petroc's place, Padstow. (retold by Anna Chorlton)
‘Traditional Cornish Stories and Rhymes’ Donald Rawe
A Book of Cornwall' Sabine Baring-Gould
St Petroc's Church, Bodmin
Priory Rd, Bodmin PL31 2DP, United Kingdom
Pimm’s Cup Cocktail
The Kentucky Derby has its Mint Julep. The Preakness has the Black Eyed Susan cocktail. And if you’re lucky enough to snags seats for Wimbledon, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself sipping a few glasses of the enticing British potion known as a Pimm’s Cup. Even if you aren’t a tennis fan, or will be watching the tournament on the telly, this slightly spicy and refreshingly tangy tipple is worth discovering this summer.
The Pimm’s Cup’s origins date back to 1832, when London oyster bar owner James Pimm started offering guests a gin-based beverage containing quinine and a secret blend of spices. The elixir was dubbed as a digestion aid, and served to patrons in small tankards known as “No. 1 Cups”. The drink’s popularity quickly grew, and by the end of the 19th century it was ubiquitous all over the United Kingdom. The first Pimm’s bar opened at the 1971 Wimbledon tournament, and today over 80,000 pints of Pimm’s and lemonade are sold there to spectators each year. (The other de rigueur beverage at the renowned tennis championships, by the way, is Champagne. Not too shabby either.)
Its sprightly, striking garnish is an integral part of a well-made Pimm’s Cup. Purists wouldn’t dare use anything except mint, cucumber, strawberries and apples—in a word, only ingredients that are available in Britain. The classic recipe calls for one part Pimm’s to two parts lemonade—the Brits’ version is clear and carbonated, and if you can’t find it, you can substitute lemon lime soda. Modern variations endlessly tinker with the classic recipe, replacing the lemonade with ginger beer or tonic, and departing from the classic topper to decorate the glass with orange twists, pineapple slices or passion fruit. Any way it’s mixed, the fizzy, tea-hued sip is served with ice in a tall glass and artfully garnished. So enojoy this classic Pimm’s cup cocktail as a refreshing summer cocktail, it's not too sweet, it's not too strong, perfect for sipping by the pool while soaking up the sun waiting for the BBQ to be served.
Pimm’s Cup Cocktail
2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
6 oz ginger beer, ginger ale or lemonade
Garnishing: long very thin sliced cucumber, halved strawberries, orange slices, mint
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
Add sliced cucumber, strawberry, and orange.
Pour in 2 oz of Pimm’s No. 1, top off with ginger beer, ginger ale or lemonade.
Garnish with more fresh fruits and mint if desired.