| St Carantoc is famed for being one of the early evangelists who came
to the West Country and his name is reflected in various place names
throughout the West of England.
The story goes that St Carantoc was looking for the place to set up
his mission and so he cast his marble altar into the Severn Estuary
saying that he would build a church wherever it came to rest.
King Arthur, some days later, was riding across the marshes on his
way to help the people of Carhampton who had been terrorised by a flying
dragon. The King spotted St Carantocs altar in the reeds and has his men
pick it up and bring it with them. He noticed that on this circule of
marble were inscribed the words St Carantocs Altar. At the time King
Arthur had no idea who St Carantoc was.
A few miles further on he met a strange man by the side of the road
who asked the King if he had seen the Altar of St Carantoc on his
journeys. Arthur was intrigued and beleiving the old man must be some
kind of sorcerer he asked the stranger his name.
The man answered gently "I am St Carantoc", and Arthur
bared his head, realising that he was in the presence of holiness.
Arthur said that he would strike a bargain with the saint. If St
Carantoc could call up the dragon from the marches then he would restore
the Altar to its owner.
St Carantoc nodded and turned away in prayer, uttering a strange
incantation over the swamp. Immediately the bog heaved and parted and
amidst a terrible smell the dragon appeared right in front of the
retinue. Only Arthur and the Saint stood their ground while the rest
backed away in horror.
The dragon the trotted up to the Saint and bent its head in
submission. St Carantoc then led the dragon to the court of King Catho
at Dunster Castle where the dragon was forced to vow never to hurt
another soul again.
So transformed was the dragon by the Saint that it never ate meat
again and only used its fiery breath to aid the villagers in lighting
bonfires in the rain.
St Carantoc was granted land by the Kings and built his chapel by the
river at Carhampton.
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St Carantoc's Dragon