Lundy, Isle of Avalon

St. Elen Triangle

"There are only three known dedications to St. Helen in Devon,  all in North Devon,  all close to the sea,  and all within sight of each other:  the chapel on Lundy, the parish church of Abbotsham, and the ancient chapel (now ruined) on the high ground just W. of Croyde village.

Abbotsham church was originally sited on the summit of the bold ridge that runs S. of Westward Ho, about 1 m. N. of its present site, to which it was removed at an unknown date. 

Lundy is in full view from the old site. 

The church was dedicated, not to St. Helen or Helena the Empress (whose day was18 August), but to St. Elen, whose day was 25 August. 

So said the Tavistock Calendar, and as Tavistock Abbey possessed Abbotsham from the tenth century we may regard this as a sound source.

 One is led to suspect at once that this St. Elen is St. Endelient, as on Lundy. 

Of the chapel at Croyde, which again is sited so as to have Lundy in view, we know nothing except that it was dedicated to St. Helen. 

But in view of the other two dedications, and its significant site above a good beach for landing, we can hardly doubt that it is the third of the small group of chapels founded by St. Endelient in the 6th century. On these now despoiled beaches of Westward Ho and Croyde, we stand linked with the early saints who landed upon them."   -  Hoskins

Seen from Lundy, the chapel at Croyde marks the southernmost equinox moonrising, the site of the old chapel at Abbotsham marks the most northerly midsummer solstice moonrise.

The sites of these three chapels seem to form a (5 12 13) right angle Pythagorean triangle 

In full view of Lundy, these chapels are sited on significant lunar alignments from the island

Related Pages

Elen

Stonehenge

The Bluestones