Martyrdom of Sabinus and Aneirin, a history of Raxtomessavadum

[Sionicus Rex]

The winter snows came early in 601 AD, the Angle king of Bernicia, Aethelfrith has not long won a great victory over the Gododdin at Catraeth and warrior bands scour the land. One such group comes across the old fort of Raxtomessavadum, unbeknown to then once maned my their mercenary forefathers.

There they find the fort abandoned except for two romano-british hermit's, Sabinus and Aneirin who call down curses on the pagan invaders.

Aneirin is cut down, while the drunken Angles use Sabinus as a butt and laugh at how his god cannot save him.

Fast forward to the spring of 638AD and the new king Oswald visits the site of the martyrdom, surveying the land he tells his architect of the chapel he wants built to commemorate the two hermit's and to pay his dues for the actions of his father's men.