The Benedictine Priory

Although the religious house or Priory of Leominster was not established until the middle of the 7th century, it is very likely that Christianity had first been present in this area during the Roman occupation.

The Minster or Priory of Leominster was founded c. AD 660 by Merewalh, the Saxon king of Mercia, who is said to have lived at Compfordte Castle, a mile north-east of the town. He also had a royal enclosure at nearby Kingsland, where he is said to have been buried.

Merewalh was converted to Christianity through the preaching of Edfrith, a monk from Northumbria. The legend of the foundation of the minster at Leominster is recounted in the Life of St. Mildburg - Mildburg was one of Merewalh's daughters by his wife, the Kentish princess Eafe. Edfrith converted Merewalh by interpreting a dream which had been troubling the king. Edfrith had been forewarned of this event by a vision he had shortly after arriving from Northumbria, in which he subdued a huge lion that had appeared suddenly in front of him by offering it bread which it ate at his feet. After Merewalh's conversion, a church was built on the spot where Edfrith had had his vision. A monastery was founded in connection with the church, and its name preserved the memory of the lion of Edfrith's vision.

By the early years of the 17th century, a version of this legend was circulating in Leominster as a poem in English. Part of it was published in 1893 by F. Gainsford Blacklock; he described it as having been written in a "medieval monastic hand". Blacklock noted that a copy of this poem had survived the ruin of the Priory and come into the possession of Alfred Lewis Esq., JP.

Blacklock published the poem as follows:

"Six hundred, three score yere of grace; when Cadwallyn reignde Britaine, 
The faith wch fowre hundred yeres space, had there taughte; then decreased.
By saxon's persecutinge handm who chasde the Britaine's from this Land,
Yet as the Dragon Sathan sin causde the woman, the Churche to flie
Into the wilderness to dwell; and sougthe (but coulde not) her destrie.
She still reteinde parte of her seede; wch kept God's lawe, living in dreede.
So God reservde a remnant still; in Britaine, zealous of his name,
Who helde the faithe, workingse hiw will; and had not God recervde the same;
As Sodome, Gomorh had wee byn, most lothsome lake glutted with syn.
The worde of God within this land was in those days moste precious;
For fewe did it then understand; the people were so barbarous.
Then God, his glorie to arrere, to holie Edfride did appere,
Devoutlie prayinge Edfride was, wherewith the Lorde was pleased well,
In vaine his prayers did not passe, the Lorde apperede as stories tell:
Byd Edfride goe into the Southe, and preache his Gospell at Ridgmouth.
This message Edfride did unfoulde, to Bothall a most godlie man
Who much rejoict to heare it toulde; good Edfride with all gladne than
Take leave, an Angell was his guide, conducting him by the way side. 
Untill he came where children plade at ball; and one cride, Stop the ball
From Ridgemouthe; for if not, he saide, we have no more to play with all.
When Edfride heard him Ridgemouth name, he gave God glory for the same.
With thancksgiving, prayers amonge, unto the blessed Trinitie
He saide devoutelie evensonge: moste mekelie kneelinge on his knee.
And weery restinge on the grounde, by the brooke side so straingely founde:
There with such meate, as God him sent, he supped nature to content.
As he sate there, a Lion wilde, upon a sodaine came;
At first Edfride with feare was filde, but lyon meekelie like a lambe,
Tooke bread at hand, fawning him on, which banished all feare anon-
That nighte Edfride lodged abroade, in open fields near Ridgmouth banke
Next morne arisinge, unto God: for his safetie he rendre thancke.
A curteous knighte came to him tho: and to his place he wilde him goe,
Then Edfride went home with the knighte, to who he did God's words declare;
Wherein the knighte tooke much delighte, and hearkned there to woth greate care.
God's word prevailde, the knighte beleevd in Christe, and baptisme he receavde.
The kings had dreamde: two blacke dogs tooke llim by the throate, and a man olde,
The dogs from him with a kay stroke: but no man coulde his dreame unfolde.
The knighte besoughte the kinge to sho: his dreame to Edfride: he did so
When Edfride hearde the dreame, quod he: theis dogs re misbelief and syn,
Wherein you to much blinded be: to vex you sorre they will not lyn.
Unless Christe's faithe you doo embrace: and be converted unto grace.
Christe, God's owne sonne to save mankinde, tooke flesh on him and diede on tree;
His bitter Passion have in mynde, and beleve in the Trinitie.
Lay houlde on Christe by livelie faithe: soe shall you shun eternall deathe.
Into his faith baptised bee, for hos worship a Churche upreare.
The kinge receaved baptisme, and all his people Christened were.
Thus were theis dogs quite chaste away: which daylie soughte the kinge to slay.
The kinge through his Domynioun caused God's worde to be preached,
And infidelitie anon: was utterlie thence banished.
When greate commanders rule arighte; Inferiors followe with delighte;
Subjects followe king's example, ffor kings are gods to the people.
The kinge baptisde, to Edfride gave, to builde a Churche thyrtie plowlands
Which was begun with Counsell grave, but not in place where now it stands
What workmen wroughte by day, convaide was thence by nighte where now it laide,
At last wher't standes to worke they fell, a goodlie Church was shortelie pighte.
It pleasde the kinge exceedinge well: unto S. Peter it was dighte.
Stoctuna for it that place yelded store: wherein, it don, were founde no more,
Within short space were many moe Churches upreared greate, and
Nere to the place as produce shoe, but she was Mother Church.
And longe let last that unity but carles pastors let it shun.
The Towne with buildings did increase, inhabitants did multiplie,
And Edfride ruled the Church in peace, full fiftene yeres, and thene did die,
Upon the hill by did he dwell, calde yet Castle of Compfordte Dell."

The Suppressed Benedictine Minster & Other Ancient & Modern Institutions of the Borough of Leominster (Leominster Folk Museum, 2nd Edition, 1999)

The full document of the poem was given to the Herefordshire Record Office in 1980, when it was realised that Blacklock had omitted the final third of the poem. It was also noticed that the script, vocabulary and text used show it to be a work of the early 17th century. Joe and Caroline Hillaby have noted that it "incorporates wild anachronisms and local mythology". Details in the text suggest a date for its composition; there is a reference to Sir Philip Hoby, who was instrumental in Leominster's achieving its charter of 1544, and also one to Leominster's apprentices' charity, which was founded in or after 1585. The Hillabys suggest that the poem was written to "foster civic pride by stressing the august origins and great antiquity of Leominster, with its minster church that antedated [Hereford] cathedral. It was both a pæan to the town and a sermon to its people." The author was probably John Hackluyt of Eaton, son or grandson of Thomas Hackluyt, Clerk to the Council in the Marches. (Joe & Caroline Hillaby, Leominster Minster, Priory and Borough c660-1539, The Friends of Leominster Priory and Logaston Press, 2006, p. 261)

[Original author: Miranda Greene, 2005]