St. Werstan
Encyclopedia
St. Werstan was a monk of the Saxon monastery of Deerhurst
in Gloucestershire
which was destroyed by the Northmen. Werstan escaped and fled through the Malvern Chase
, finding sanctuary on the Malvern Hills
at a hermitage
near St. Ann's Well
. Legend tells that the settlement in Great Malvern
began following the murder of St. Werstan. Although the legend may be monastic mythology, historians have however concluded that he was the original martyr. A 15th Century stained glass window in Great Malvern Priory
depicts the story of St. Werstan, with details of his vision, the consecration of his chapel, Edward the Confessor
granting the charter for the site, and Werstan's martyrdom. Grindrod (p.168) states that Deerhurst was an Abbey before becoming a Priory, that Werstan was its Abbot, and that he founded the religious community in Malvern. He does not provide references.
Deerhurst
Deerhurst is a village near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, England on the east bank of the River Severn. The Royal Mail postcode begins GL19.- Anglo Saxon church & chapel :...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
which was destroyed by the Northmen. Werstan escaped and fled through the Malvern Chase
Malvern Chase
Malvern Chase occupied the land between the Malvern Hills and the River Severn in Worcestershire and extended to Herefordshire from the River Teme to Cors Forest....
, finding sanctuary on the Malvern Hills
Malvern Hills
The Malvern Hills are a range of hills in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside and the towns and villages of the district of Malvern...
at a hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
near St. Ann's Well
St. Ann's Well, Malvern
St. Ann's Well is set on the slopes of the Malvern Hills above Great Malvern. It is a popular site on a path leading up to the Worcestershire Beacon and lies on the final descent of the Worcestershire Way....
. Legend tells that the settlement in Great Malvern
Great Malvern
Great Malvern is an area of Malvern, Worcestershire, England. It is the historical centre of the town, and the location of the headquarters buildings of the of Malvern Town Council, the governing body of the Malvern civil parish, and Malvern Hills District council of the county of...
began following the murder of St. Werstan. Although the legend may be monastic mythology, historians have however concluded that he was the original martyr. A 15th Century stained glass window in Great Malvern Priory
Great Malvern Priory
Great Malvern Priory in Malvern, Worcestershire, England, was a Benedictine monastery c.1075-1540 and is now an Anglican parish church.-History:...
depicts the story of St. Werstan, with details of his vision, the consecration of his chapel, Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
granting the charter for the site, and Werstan's martyrdom. Grindrod (p.168) states that Deerhurst was an Abbey before becoming a Priory, that Werstan was its Abbot, and that he founded the religious community in Malvern. He does not provide references.