saint was replaced by Marina of Bithynia. Alban Butler describes the celebrated Saint Marina of Bithynia as a woman who lived and died during the 8th century. In her earnestness to live the life of a monk, she dressed and assumed the persona of a man. In 1228 she was identified by William of Paris as a titular saint (existing in title only) of a church in Paris. Her feast day is 17 July. The St Merryn feast day had been changed to the Sunday nearest to 7 July, Saint Thomas of Canterbury's feast day, when the church was rededicated to "The Blessed Meran and St. Thomas à Becket" during Henry VII's rule. History St Merryn air field RNAS St Merryn operated from 1937 to 1956 was also known as HMS Vulture and HMS Curlew. Initially the airfield was built with an airstrip and one hangar for civil purposes. In 1940, following construction of buildings for military use, it became an aircraft training centre for training for airborne observers and aircraft carrier flight manoeuvres. The airfield was renamed the RNAS St Merryn, HMS Vulture at that time. The following year German aircraft bombed the field; it was rebuilt in 1942. The Ward Room was housed within the Cornish Arms Inn; there is an honour roll posted at the location commemorating the aviators of the St Merryn air field. In 1952 the HMS Curlew unit joined the airfield for Naval reserve and airborne observer training. The field was closed for military purposes in 1956. There is limited aviation on the landing strips now and some of the former airfield is used for industry, farm land and leisure activity. The control tower and other airport buildings are visible in the area. St Merryn beef shipment of 1999 In August 1999 beef from a St Merryn slaughterhouse made the national news when it was the source of the first beef from the British mainland to be served in Brussels in three years. It signalled a re-emergence of British beef in the international marketplace since bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or more commonly, Mad Cow Disease, resulted in a shut down of beef exports. The shipment, coordinated by the Meat and Livestock Commission in Britain, came three weeks after the European Union lifted its ban on the import of British beef. Religion St Merryn Church The original dedication of the church was to St Merryn