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The early Celtic Christian monks were famous for their evangelism, and apparently thought nothing of taking Christianity to the "uttermost parts of the Earth". This abbey is a good example of a Celtic Christian monastic community that did just that. A group of them must have gotten into a boat, and crossed from Cornwall to Brittany, and proceeded to find the most remote spot they could get to. They did this so well that it wasn't even easy for us to find.
This abbey was first founded by a monk in the fifth century. From very rough and modest beginnings, it grew over the next 400 years to have a nice, classic Romanesque abbey church, which was (oh good grief, not again) destroyed by the Norsemen. Those would be my ancestors, argh. After the Norsemen had had their fun, the monks rebuilt. In about another 400 years the place was again demolished, this time by the Normans. Bad Normans! Same folks, really, as the Norse. One stone higher, responded the monks and built yet another establishment which lasted about another 500 years, and was them abandoned. Today it is owned by the Benedictines, who have not restored it to use, but are conserving it and have established a museum collecting its artifacts and history.
Be sure to visit Eleanor's blog to see all the pictures and read her comments on them.
Thanks so much for sharing, Eleanor!
