The foundation legend of Leominster Priory tells how Edfrith was inspired to travel to heathen Mercia to convert King Merewalh. Arriving in Herefordshire at night he sat on a hillside to eat his bread when a fierce lion appeared. The saint offered bread to the beast which it meekly ate at his feet.

Meanwhile King Merewalh had dreamed of two terrifying dogs from which he was saved by a man with a golden key. St Edfrith was brought before the king to interpret his nightmare and reassured him that he could be saved from the hell of his dream by adopting the faith of St Peter.

Merewalh converted to Christianity and ordered a church to be built on the spot, where Leominster Priory was later founded. This legend is referred to in carvings of lions on the west door jambs of the Priory. Lions are also offered as the origin of the ‘leo’ element in the town’s name, although it is much more likely to have been derived from the Welsh Llanlieni, meaning ‘church amongst streams’.

St Edfrith was long revered at Leominster Priory as its founder. In 1290 King Henry III confirmed his feast day, 26 October, as the date of Leominster’s autumn fair.

In the 16th century John Hakluyt wrote Edfrith’s life, drawing on older versions of the story.

St Edfrith and St Peter are the supporters on Leominster’s Coat of Arms.

Edfriths story provided the inspiration of a Giant Lion which toured the town in 2022 as part of the ‘Leominster Roars’ event.

See all Leominster People