Tomorrow marks the 750th anniversary of the founding of Glasney Collegiate Church, more commonly known as Glasney College, Penryn.
As Cornwall’s pre-eminent seat of learning, for 300 years the College fostered Cornish language and culture. It was here that the medieval Cornish miracle plays the Ordinalia and Bewnans Meryasek (The Life of St Meriasek) were written. These plays would have been performed in plenis an gwary or playing places around Cornwall, including Perran Round.
Glasney was destroyed during the Edwardian Reformation in 1548. Given the role of the College in fostering Cornish culture, it is likely that its destruction contributed to the resentment which manifested in the Prayer Book War of the following year.
Had Glasney survived the Reformation, it may well have evolved into a University, making it the third oldest in Britain after Oxford and Cambridge.
To mark the 750th anniversary, a silent vigil will take place at dawn on Glasney College Field, Penryn on Thursday March 26 at 05.45am.
With thanks to stpiran.org.
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