::: congresbury – the legend of st congar
congresbury’s christian origins lie in a period with little written history, but probably began with the village’s namesake, st. congar
it is possible that congar, also known as docco, lived in the late fifth century and was the first british saint
it seems that congar was a celtic missionary
he built a church and, with others, preached and ministered to the population in the area around today’s congresbury
he is credited with miraculously creating arable land from congresbury’s moors and with causing his walking stick to grow into a yew tree to provide shade in the churchyard
when king Ine of wessex (688-720 ad) heard of this he bestowed on st congar, although long since dead, land around congresbury