
Saint Bryvyth

Little is known about Saint Bryvyth (Brevita), although the parish church in Lanlivery, Cornwall is dedicated to her. There is also a well dedicated to her in woodland just outside the village.
St Bryvyth is mentioned in three documents before the Reformation; in two she is said to be a woman and in one, a man but modern tradition has preferred the female identity.
In the first known source from 1423, the saint is mentioned as "Briueta" and later as "Breutta" (1473), "Bryvyth" (1539) and "Brevita" (1763). It has been suggested that the name comes from the Latin "brevis vita" meaning 'short life'.