84 



either England or Wales, besides those already mentioned that 

 are all confined to this south-western .-promontory.* 



This dedication of Milton Abbey is therefore a curious example 

 of these accumulated ones. The other name, St. Branwallader, 

 is quite unique. It is evidently a British name, but, although it 

 is not to be found in any of the records of British saints, he is 

 entered as a " confessor " under January 18 in two Anglo-Saxon 

 Calendars ; one of them, said to be one of the earliest English 

 Calendars extant, appears to have been compiled at Winchester 

 in the first half of the eleventh century. Again, in the Anglo- 

 Saxon catalogue of the shrines in England, written about the 

 same time, Milton Abbey is said to have had the head of St. 

 Brangwalator, Bishop; and the arm and staff ("erice") of St. 

 Samson, Bishop. William Worcester (A.D. 1480) was told, by 

 John Burges a Dominican friar at Exeter, that St. Brandwell- 

 anus, a king's son and confessor, was buried at Branston, eight 

 miles from Axminster ; probably Branscombe near Sidmouth. 

 But Branscombe has now the dedication of St. Winfred, the birth 

 name of St. Boniface, a Saxon native of Damnonia. Serenus 

 Cressy describes . Branwallader as a "holy bishop, "but "un- 

 known;" and he is mentioned as "S. Brampalator episcopus" 

 in Leland's abstract of another catalogue of shrines in England. 



As to the added dedication of St. Michael, all that can be said 

 is, that it is not uufrequent in Cornwall, is numerous in Devon, 

 Somerset, Dorset, and throughout Wales ; but then, as it is also 

 abundant throughout England, choosing the greatest elevations, 

 and in level counties, such as Lincolnshire, being satisfied with 

 even such moderately high points as they offer, this one at 

 Milton cannot be quoted as distinctive of race. But St. Michael 

 is certainly a favourite Celtic dedication. In Wales it is the 

 rival of St. Mary in frequency ; and its great frequency in some 

 parts of English England may be partly due to the continuations of 



* It is, however, just possible that the two St. Samson dedications at 

 Colesbourne and Cricklade may in some way be reflections of his connection 

 with York, through Archbishop Aldred's (A.D. 1061-1069) dealings with 

 Gloucestershire benefices. Both seem to be second or subordinate benefices, 

 as if they had been chapelries or detachments from original benefices. 



