St. Nectan of Hartland
Facts
Patron: of Hartland, Devon
Birth: 468
Death: 510
Author and Publisher - Catholic Online
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Hermit and martyr, also called Nighton or Nectaran. Possibly a native of Wales or Ireland, he is best known through legends. He lived as a hermit in Devonshire, England, founding churches there and in Cornwall, England. The patron saint of Hartland, Devonshire, he was much venerated during the Middle Ages and his shrine was a popular place for pilgrims until its destruction during the Reformation in the sixteenth century. He was reported beheaded by robbers, and in some traditions was a relative of the chieftain Brychan.