St Mary and St Melor's Church, Amesbury

A pair of curious silver relics attracted pilgrims in great numbers to Amesbury, the shrine now gone but the church still testament to early medieval veneration‍

Highlights

• Former shrine of St Melor

Pilgrims were drawn to this church by the shrine of a saint who can best be described as bionic. St Melor, a prince from Brittany, had an artificial hand made of silver and a foot made of bronze, both of which worked like living flesh. He was killed at the age of 14 by his uncle, who wanted to rule in his stead. The uncle’s original plan had been to maim St Melor, but once his prosthetic limbs came to life, he had the saint murdered.

So the later medieval stories recount. We know few historical facts about this saint, not even the period in which he lived. But his legends made his holy body a famous relic, which was carried around western Britain and shown to pilgrims. When the shrine reached Amesbury Abbey in perhaps the 10th century, it stuck fast to the altar by miracle and remained in the church.

According to the church guide, the relics were later stolen by thieves, who also stripped the shrine of its gold and silver. The abbey had become a nunnery by the time it was dissolved. The abbey church was spared destruction and passed to the villagers to serve their parish. There is no trace of the saint’s shrine here, nor even any clue as to where it was once displayed. The church celebrates its patron saint on 4 October.

The first monastery here was founded by Queen Elfreda as penance for arranging the murder of St Edward at Corfe (page 243). It has the tiniest fragment of Saxon stonework in the north wall of the nave. One of its two fonts is thought to be Saxon, and fragments of a wheel cross from the original church are displayed in a glass case. The building is otherwise Norman and later. It also contains a very early clock, dating from the 15th century. St Melor, also known as St Mylor, appears in other legends in Cornwall (see Mylor Churchtown, page 194).

Directions‍

St Mary and St Melor’s Church, Church Street, Amesbury SP4 7EU‍

www.maryandmelor.com‍

W3W: ordeals.bill.crypt

GPS: 51.1718N 1.7845W‍

The church is on the west side of town. It was open when I visited. Amesbury Abbey is marked on maps to the north but is a private nursing home which uses the name.