Celtic missionary saints arrived in Cornwall from Wales and Ireland in 6C, aiming to convert the Cornish people to Christianity. Some sailed from Ireland in stone boats, some in wooden boats, while Keiron (Petroc) floated over on a millstone and washed up on the dunes at Perranporth. The Welsh saints included eleven of the many children of Welsh King Brychan, including Keyne, Nectan, Morwenna, Keri and Wenna.
The saints succeeded in their mission, and took over the old Celtic holy places including the sacred springs which became rebranded as holy wells, and erected stone crosses to mark places of worship. Soon Cornwall was alive with Celtic Christianity and there were ‘more saints in Cornwall than in heaven.’
