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accepted in the Monastery as a saint. Under the regulations of Trent, in
theory at least, that would not have been possible in the West.

Incorruption is one of the physical phenomena that have from
time to time been noticed in the bodies of saints. Not all by any means,
but some holy bodies have shown a remarkable reluctance to decay after
death26. Other phenomena sometimes observed with holy relics include
fragrance, the exuding of a liquid called manna or myrrh, lights seen
over tombs, and so on. And indeed there could be a whole separate talk
on such phenomena.

After the Reformation it was of course the Roman Catholic
church in the West which principally continued the cult of relics. What
of the Church of England? In spite of the rigours of reforming zeal the
Reformation in England was not uniform in its impact, and in theory at
least did not go as far as on the continent. Some shrines and relics did
manage to survive the Reformation. St Edward the Confessor in West-
minster Abbey is the best known, but also some less well known saints
such as St Candida in Whitchurch Canonicorum, and St Melangell in
Wales. St Erkenwald’s shrine remained intact in St Paul’s Cathedral until
the Cathedral itself was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Other
saints were hidden to be recovered later, such as St Eanswythe in Folke-
stone.

In Winchester Cathedral numerous shrines and relics remained
intact until the Civil War, when Crowell’s troops broke them open and
scattered the bones. But Anglican faithful secretly saved what they
could ?nd, and at the Restoration the relics were put pack in feretories
on the choir screen. They are all mixed up together, but at least they are
still there.

The attitude of some Anglicans was by no means hostile. John
Evelyn, in his diary for 16 September 168527, records a meeting with the
King, James II, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Thomas Ken, and some
others. The subject of discussion was relics and miracles. The Bishop

26 For a discussion of many examples see Joan Carroll Cruz, The Incorruptibles, Tan Books 1977.
27 The Diary of John Evelyn, Globe Edition, MacMillan & Co 1908, p 379

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