St Baruc and St Cadoc

The name of Barry is thought to have possibly come from Saint Baruc.

He was a 6th century saint, who was also a disciple of Saint Cadoc. Saint Baruc was tasked with bringing St Cadoc’s reading material with him on a journey from the island of Flat Holm. He forgot and St Cadoc sent him back to retrieve it, but unfortunately, he drowned in the Bristol Channel on the return journey. He was buried on Barry Island in a chapel. The ruins can still be seen today.

St Baruc’s Feast Day is held on 27th September.

St Baruc’s well is also near the ruins of the chapel, and was used as a wishing well. It was believed that if an offering was dropped into the well and a wish or prayer was uttered privately, as long as the wisher did not speak to anyone until a stranger had spoken to them, then the wish would come true.

In September 1895, the well was cleaned out and offerings were found that included bent pins, rags, string, tape and a wheel of a small clock.

St Baruc’s Well can still be seen today in amongst the housing estate that has been built on Nell’s Point.

St Cadoc

Cadoxton also takes its name from a saint – Saint Cadoc. A church was founded in 800 AD and was dedicated to St Cadoc. It was around this church that the village developed. The church exists to this day, along with some of the older houses.