Two mermaid carvings. The first from Crowcombe Church includes a greenman style head with a mermaid and merman, whilst the second and the more famous carving is from Church of St Senara, in Zennor.
Legend has it that a mermaid had been visiting the church, being drawn there on hearing a young man named Mathey Trewella sing. She visited the church for years but was said to never age – drawing suspicion from the villagers. At the same time fishermen were hearing tales of the mermaid being seen at sea – all confirmed when one day sailors dropped anchor on the door to the mermaid’s home trapping her children inside. The mermaid had no choice but to swim to the surface and ask the sailors to raise anchor. On hearing this, the church goers decided to follow the lady home after she again visited the church to hear Mathey sing. She was followed to the seas edge and knowing that her true identity had been discovered the mermaid swam away never to be seen again.
Legend has it that a mermaid had been visiting the church, being drawn there on hearing a young man named Mathey Trewella sing. She visited the church for years but was said to never age – drawing suspicion from the villagers. At the same time fishermen were hearing tales of the mermaid being seen at sea – all confirmed when one day sailors dropped anchor on the door to the mermaid’s home trapping her children inside. The mermaid had no choice but to swim to the surface and ask the sailors to raise anchor. On hearing this, the church goers decided to follow the lady home after she again visited the church to hear Mathey sing. She was followed to the seas edge and knowing that her true identity had been discovered the mermaid swam away never to be seen again.
Wild daffodils are native to England and are known as the flower of March. They were once known as the Lide-lily or Lide-flower, later becoming the Lent-lily. Lide comes from Hlyda which was another name for March (or Hrēðmōnaþ). Hlyda (possibly meaning loud) is attested in the OE Leechdoms ‘thone Martius the menn hatath Hlyda’ (March, which is called Hlyda).
Two month names are given for March in OE, Hlýda and Hrêðmônað. Hrêðmônað means Hreða or Rheda’s month. Hreða is a largely unknown goddess mentioned by Bede, though her name is also found in compound words like hrēð-sigor which meant ‘glorious victory’. Rudolf Simek compared her to the Roman god Mars , who gave his name to March, whilst Grimm compared Hreða with the OHG Hruod or Hruodâ. In the wider Germanic world we find a similar name Hroðr, who according to some is the mother of Tyr.
Hreða’s name may be connected to OE hrêðan which meant to rejoice. Other suggestions are her name means fierce, from the root (h)rēðe, hrēðan – to rejoice, hrēð – victory or glory and hræð – to be quick. If she was a goddess worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons there may be places named after her, Hreodford (now known as Redbridge) being one possibility.
Hrethmonath is named for their goddess Hretha, to whom they sacrificed at this time – Bede.
Hreða’s name may be connected to OE hrêðan which meant to rejoice. Other suggestions are her name means fierce, from the root (h)rēðe, hrēðan – to rejoice, hrēð – victory or glory and hræð – to be quick. If she was a goddess worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons there may be places named after her, Hreodford (now known as Redbridge) being one possibility.
Hrethmonath is named for their goddess Hretha, to whom they sacrificed at this time – Bede.
Some photos from a visit my children and I made to Sutton Hoo today. I've been meaning to make the trip for years and the museum was well worth the journey.