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462:, which he built out of wood. Of this spot Gwynllyw said "There is no retreat in the world such as in this space which I am destined now to inhabit. Happy therefore is the place, happier then is he who inhabits it." Gwynllyw's decision to abandon his kingship and retire to a religious life seems to have been a common theme amongst Welsh saints. Even his violent past was not unusual, being shared by
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481:, winter and summer alike. Apparently, this was preceded and followed at night-time by a mile-long walk in the nude. A miraculous fountain started on the hill when Gwynllyw prayed for water. This heroic asceticism was tempered when Cadoc persuaded his parents to separate. Gwladys founded her own hermitage at
445:
Once grown, Cadoc was deeply religious. According to some sources, it was his example and preaching that persuaded
Gwynllyw to abandon his life of violence and to seek forgiveness for his sins. King Gwynllyw is said to have had a dream in which an angel spoke to him, and he saw a vision of a white ox
524:. Gwynllyw's church was rebuilt in stone in the 9th century, a sign of his importance and the wealth of his shrine; at that time stone buildings were unusual in Wales. Incorporated at the west end of the current cathedral, the Galilee Chapel, or St Mary's Chapel, is part of this original building.
254:, indicating he had a widespread popular following. Although saints' lives frequently exaggerate, it does seem likely that a monarch of this name existed. A core element in such narratives may contain some elements that are historically accurate.
249:
and of Saint
Gwynllyw (c. 1120) preserve fabled details of Gwynllyw, though specifics frequently differ. He is also noted in Welsh king lists. The aforementioned descriptions of Gwynllyw note that his deeds were celebrated by Welsh
766:
408:
approached courageously, to demand the return of a cow, the king was so impressed he decided in response to send his son to Tathyw to be educated at
Caerwent. Gwynllyw reputedly had other children, also saints:
709:
Lothian is part of the "Old North" (Hen Ogledd) in Welsh tradition. In the post-Roman period, British-speakers (their language generally called
Cumbric, closely related to Welsh) dominated this part of the
767:
https://www.pembrokeshirehistoricalsociety.co.uk/around-the-parrog-in-newport-pembrokeshire/#:~:text=The%20Norman%20Lord%2C%20Robert%20Fitzmartin,Castle%20–%20Novo%20burg%20–%20Newport
293:. The kingdom was split on Glywys' death amongst his sons, of whom Gwynllyw was the eldest and most powerful, and he was overlord over the others. The centre of his domain was the
590:. Certainly the many sailors based in Newport would have known of him. Another local story claims that Gwynllyw forcibly baptised the population of Gwynllwg by the sword.
367:(Gladys), as Brychan had refused to let him marry her. She was one of Brychan's famous twenty-four children. A pitched battle ensued, arrested only by the intervention of
752:. There is no basis to attribute this to mystical vengeance after Harold and his troops had recently plundered Gwynllyw's church while attacking the nearby kingdom of
536:
were attributed to him. His fountain at Stow Hill healed those who drank from it, and angels were seen near his tomb. A later miracle included the protection of a
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who came to live in the
Newport area. The Norman Lords of Newport continued to enlarge the church – a process that has continued up to the present day.
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The traditional date of his death, 29 March, is the day dedicated to him. The year of his death is uncertain; suggestions include 500 and 523.
269:. It is debatable where the north-west border was, but the prevailing conclusion among historical accounts and historians is the course of the
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756:. Descriptions of the attacks on the church do coincide correctly with periods of warfare in the area. They are probably based on fact.
586:. One tradition asserts that this background meant Gwynllyw was the patron saint of choice for Welsh pirates and smugglers including
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with a black spot high on its forehead. The story goes that
Gwynllyw set out, and when he saw the ox of his dream he founded a
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Stories of
Gwynllyw's dark past later included tales of piracy and claims that his ships, based in the Uskside parish of
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700:
Lifris, 'Vita sancti Cadoci', Vitae sanctorum
Britanniae et genealogiae, ed. and trans. A. M. Wade-Evans (1944), 24–141
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903:
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and other
Arthurian stories, suggesting it originated in bardic stories. Among the various hagiographies, this, the
832:
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Narratives of
Gwynllyw portray him as an active and merciless warrior who attacked and raided nearby kingdoms. The
551:. Similarly, a man's having been supernaturally driven mad after stealing from Gwynllyw's church is mere fancy.
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Following Gwynllyw's death his hermit cell became an important shrine, and a church was built there. This is now
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In 1949 St Woolos Church became a full cathedral and, besides churches, the saint is remembered today through
790:
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describes him as "very partial to thieves, and used to instigate them somewhat often to robberies" but the
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according to some accounts, while his mother Guaul was equally distinguished, being the granddaughter of
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691:'Vita sancti Gundleii', Vitae sanctorum Britanniae et genealogiae, ed. A. W. Wade-Evans (1944), 172–93
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life together on Stow Hill, fasting, eating a vegetarian diet, and bathing in the cold waters of the
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fleet's destruction at sea after they had plundered the church, containing offerings for Gwynllyw's
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tradition, he was a feared warlord and lifestock raider who was acquainted with the mythical
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insists he was a just and fair ruler. These raids included attacking his northern neighbour
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Devotion to Gwynllyw clearly became ubiquitous, not only among the Welsh, but among
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this battle seems never to have occurred; the marriage contracted amicably.
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Hando, F.J., (1958) "Out and About in Monmouthshire", R. H. Johns, Newport.
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No weight should be attached to there having been any mystical basis for a
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Robin Gwyndaf, Welsh Folk Tales (National Museum of Wales, 1989), p. 96
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The vision of an ox inspired the sculpture by Sebastien Boyesen called
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according to tradition, was killed by robbers stealing her finest ram.
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Goff Morgan – Adventures In Hack Poetry: Bringing the World to Wisdom
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421:. Bugi was married to Peren, daughter of King Lleuddun Llyddog of
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crowned warrior, carrying spear sometimes accompanied by an ox
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in Newport. He was the father of one of the most revered of
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Drawing of a statue of Gwynllyw (Welsh Portrait Collection)
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When Gwynllyw was dying he was attended both by his son
379:. This tale of abduction resembles elements in the tale
625:, finished in 1996 and found in central Newport today.
301:; named after him, and to be later known in English as
655:
The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Fifth Edition Revised
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https://www.newportpast.com/early/summary/index.htm
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574:The Vision of Saint Gwynllyw by Sebastien Boyesen
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582:that bears his name, caused terror across the
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355:, Gwynllyw led some 300 men to abduct King
162:), known in English in a corrupted form as
205:, living in the 5th century. According to
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675:Vitae sanctorum Britanniae et genealogiae
602:, St Woolos Primary School and in 1988 a
197:and is the legendary founder and patron
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473:'s life, and for a while they lived an
396:Gwaldys soon had a son, the celebrated
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714:, between the southern shore of the
635:Saint Gwynllyw, patron saint archive
532:Gwynllyw's cult grew as a series of
469:Gwladys accompanied Gwynllyw into a
277:), i.e. the current border between
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308:. One of Gwynllyw's brothers was
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351:In one such raid, described in
285:. Gwynllyw was a descendant of
176:Gundleus, Gundleius or Gwenleue
944:6th-century monarchs in Europe
1:
826:Dictionary of Welsh Biography
824:on National Library of Wales
802:Sebastien Boyesen", BBC Wales
744:Likewise, the defeat of King
673:Lifris, "Vita sancti Cadoci",
257:Gwynllyw was the son of King
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939:6th-century Christian saints
657:, p. 204. OUP Oxford, 2011.
619:The Vision of Saint Gwynllyw
261:, whose powerful kingdom of
186:king and religious figure.
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929:People from Newport, Wales
273:from Black Mountain (near
140:place of death (see text)
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954:Christian royal saints
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450:there, on what is now
425:. One, Maches (Latin:
391:Life of Saint Gwynllyw
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241:The medieval lives of
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949:Monarchs of Glywysing
934:Medieval Welsh saints
924:Monarchs of Morgannwg
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79:Roman Catholic Church
909:Arthurian characters
608:Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw
540:from flood waters.
231:Saint Cadoc the Wise
182:450 – 500 CE) was a
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23:Saint Gwynllyw Milwr
16:Welsh king and saint
919:Angelic visionaries
817:St Woolos Cathedral
518:St Woolos Cathedral
387:Life of Saint Cadoc
363:beautiful daughter
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333:Life of Saint Cadoc
237:Traditional history
223:St Woolos Cathedral
132:; pirates; soldiers
98:St Woolos Cathedral
914:Christian ascetics
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750:Battle of Hastings
600:St Woolos Hospital
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522:Bishop of Monmouth
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168:Woolos the Bearded
164:Woolos the Warrior
159:[ˈɡwɪnɬɪu]
83:Anglican Communion
65:Stow Hill, Newport
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62:29 March 529
899:450s births
580:Pillgwenlly
460:South Wales
398:Saint Cadoc
377:King Arthur
341:Brycheiniog
320:saint, and
243:Saint Cadoc
221:, founding
211:King Arthur
195:South Wales
137:Controversy
893:Categories
528:Veneration
115:Attributes
859:Biography
612:Pontypool
512:Cathedral
505:to him.
452:Stow Hill
448:hermitage
267:Glamorgan
263:Glywysing
125:Patronage
822:Gwynllyw
722:and the
718:and the
629:See also
606:school,
534:miracles
402:Caerwent
347:Marriage
303:Wentloog
299:Gwynllwg
275:Talgarth
215:religion
207:medieval
191:Gwynllŵg
109:29 March
53:Gwynllwg
833:Portals
748:at the
560:Normans
483:Pencarn
475:ascetic
456:Newport
427:Machuta
423:Lothian
404:. When
365:Gwladys
357:Brychan
314:Cornish
306:hundred
295:cantref
291:Cunedda
283:Swansea
203:Newport
130:Newport
847:Saints
661:
594:Legacy
556:Saxons
545:Viking
499:Dyfrig
471:hermit
441:Hermit
435:Tathan
419:Egwine
411:Cynidr
373:Bedwyr
318:Breton
316:, and
259:Glywys
247:Lifris
219:hermit
92:shrine
90:Major
883:Wales
754:Gwent
641:Notes
495:Cadoc
489:Death
431:Cadoc
326:Devon
252:bards
199:saint
184:Welsh
172:Latin
105:Feast
769:and
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659:ISBN
558:and
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415:Bugi
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