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A CATALOGUE OF SAINTS CONNECTED WITH CORNWALL, 



WITH AN EPITOME OF THEIR LIVES, AND LIST OF 



CHURCHES AND CHAPELS DEDICATED TO THEM. 



By the Rev. S. BARING -GOUI^D, M.A. 



PART VII. Si.— W. 



S. SiDWELL or Sativola, Virgin Martyr, 



Sativola is the Latin form of the name Sidwell, presumedly 

 one of the three saintly sisters of S. Paul of Leon, called in 

 his life Sicofola. 



According to Leland, who read her legend at Exeter, she 

 was the daughter of one Benna, and was born at Exeter. But 

 from the legend of her sister, Jutwara, we learn that Bana was 

 the name of her brother, and from the Life of S. Paul we ascer- 

 tain that Porpius Aurelianus was the father's name {see S. Paiil of 

 Leon). Leland says that she was killed by afeniseca (mower), 

 who cut off her head as he coveted her possessions outside Exeter, 

 and she was betrayed into his hands by her mother-in-law {Itin. 

 iii, 49). It was this same mother-in-law who contrived the death 

 of Jutwara. The office for S. Sidwell is no longer to be found 

 in the Legendarium of Bishop Grandisson at Exeter. 



It is questionable whether Sidwell really was a martyr, and 

 it may be suspected that her canting symbols, a scythe and a 

 well have originated the story that her head was cut off and 

 thrown into a well. S. Sidwell and her sister S. Wulvella are 

 patronesses together of Laneast, where also is their Holy Well, 

 in good condition, whence water is still drawn for baptisms 



The parish church of S. Sidwell, by Exeter, is dedicated to 

 her, and here was formerly a Holy Well. 



Nansidwell {i.e. Llan Sidwell), in Mawnan, may also have 

 been the site of a chiirch under her invocation. 



In Bishop Grandisson's Calendar for Exeter, August 2 is 

 given as her day, and this is the day on which her feast was 

 observed at Exeter and at Launceston. 



