St Seiriol and Penmon Priory
Sixth Century Welsh Hermit who Lived on the Isle of Anglesey
Seiriol left a life of privilege as a member of the Welsh royal family to become a hermit on a remote island. His fame spread far beyond his humble hermit's cell.
A medieval hermit would choose to make his home as far as was practical from the rest of society. Although he craved solitude, the hermit's need for food, water and clothing usually meant that he was reliant on some form of contact with the nearest community.
The south-eastern tip of the Isle of Anglesey in Wales faces out towards the choppy waters of the Irish Sea. Even in the twenty-first century, it’s a remote place and the distant views of the mountains of Snowdonia can have changed little in thousands of years.
The Beginnings of Christianity in Wales
Seiriol lived on Anglesey as a hermit in the sixth century, just as Christianity was becoming established in Wales. Although he lived as a recluse, Seiriol did have human contact. He was visited regularly at his hermit’s cell by followers and people who were curious to see this holy man, whose fame spread far beyond the Isle of Anglesey.
Seiriol was just one of many medieval hermits who were to gain sainthood. The hermit was especially respected in Christian countries during medieval times. Following the example of John the Baptist, he or she lived alone and prayed and fasted on behalf of the rest of society. Even if ordinary people didn’t have the time to visit church or say prayers on a daily basis, it was a comfort to know that someone else was interceding with God for them.
Many hermits had ordinary backgrounds, but Seiriol’s life begun as one of privilege. He was born c494AD into a royal Welsh family, brother to King Cynlas of Rhos and King Einion of Lleyn. When Seiriol reached adulthood and chose the life of a hermit, his brothers felt that a humble hermit’s cell wasn’t grand enough for a member of the royal family.
Foundation of Penmon Priory
In an attempt to give Seiriol a grander life, but realizing he was set on his religious calling, his brothers founded Penmon Priory and made Seiriol the first abbot there. The original priory site at Penmon had been a Druid holy place. As often happened in the early days of Christianity, Druidic holy sites and customs were adopted by the Christian church in order to make the Christian religion more acceptable to the local population.
At the site of Penmon Priory is a holy well, centered around a spring of water, which still emerges from a steep cliff-face. Medieval hermits often lived close to a source of water for practical reasons, including drinking and washing. However, after the hermit’s death, the spring would often gain a reputation as a place of healing and even miracles and this was the case at Penmon. Centuries after Seiriol’s death, pilgrims would still visit the well and priory, hoping for divine intervention.
Seiriol was well-known in his own lifetime and received visitors from Wales and beyond. As he grew older, he decided to leave his home at Penmon and move to nearby Puffin Island. He died on this island and his remains were later brought back to Penmon.
Penmon Priory Today
The original wooden priory where Seiriol prayed disappeared within a few centuries of his death, after years of repeated Viking attacks on the area. A stone priory was built in 1140, and sections of this are still contained within the current building. The church houses two medieval crosses, with intricate Celtic stonework. There is also a stained glass window, dedicated to St Seiriol, which features the sea, so much a part of the saint’s life on the remote island of Anglesey.
Access to the hermit's cell is year-round and Penmon Church is open during daylight hours.
Sources
Burton, Janet. Monastic and Religious Orders in Britain 1000-1300 [Cambridge University Press, 1994]
Lawrence, CH. Medieval Monasticism [Longman Group Ltd, 1984]
