Saint Cwyllog (or Cywyllog)[1] was a Christian holy woman who was active in Anglesey, Wales, in the early 6th century. The daughter, sister and niece of saints, she is said to have founded St Cwyllog's Church, Llangwyllog, in the middle of Anglesey, where a church is still dedicated to her.
Life and commemoration
Little is known for certain about Cwyllog (sometimes written as Cywyllog); her dates of birth and death are not given in the sources. She is said to have been one of the daughters of St Caw. He was a king in northern Britain who lost his lands and sought safety with his family in Anglesey, where the ruler Maelgwn Gwynedd gave him land in the north-east of the island, the district known as Twrcelyn.[2] Other saintly relatives of Cwyllog included St Iestyn and St Cyngar (brothers of Caw) and her sisters Cain, Peithian and Gwenafwy as well as various brothers including St Gildas (although the number of Caw's children varies from 10 to 21 between different manuscripts).[2][3] Cwyllog is said to have been the wife of Mordred (or Medrod), the treacherous son and nephew of King Arthur and mother of his sons. According to the 19th-century Welsh antiquarian Angharad Llwyd, in her History of Anglesey, Cwyllog decided to follow a religious life after her husband's death in battle against Arthur at the Battle of Camlann in 537.[1]
She is said to have founded St Cwyllog's Church, Llangwyllog, towards the middle of Anglesey but within the area granted to her father, in the 6th century.[1][4] The current church there (which is still dedicated to her) is of a later date, with the walls possibly dating from about 1200.[5] Her feast day there has been recorded as being 7 January, although this date does not appear in the Welsh calendars of saints.[1]
According to critics, Cwyllog may be a fictional creation. Her name could be a back-formation from the place-name Llangwyllog. The original saint of that location would be Gwrddelw, son of Caw, whose feast day is also 7 January. Cwyllog's connection to Mordred originated with readings of Hector Boece, who said Mordred's wife was a daughter of Gawolane. Some scholars identified "Gawolane" as Caw of Prydyn, which caused Welsh antiquary Lewis Morris to list Gildas as Medrawd's brother-in-law and, eventually, “Kwyllog” as Medrawd's wife.[6]
See also
Other Anglesey saints commemorated in local churches include:
^Lewis, Samuel (1849). "Llangwillog (Llan-Gwillog)". A Topographical Dictionary of Wales. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
^Cadw (2009). . Historic Wales. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
^Bartrum, Peter C. (1993). A Welsh Classical Dictionary: People in History and Legend up to about A.D. 1000. National Library of Wales. p. 180. ISBN0907158730.
Bibliography
Baring-Gould, Sabine (1907). The lives of the British Saints : the Saints of Wales and Cornwall and such Irish Saints as have dedications in Britain (volume 2). Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
January 06, 2023
cwyllog, saint, cywyllog, christian, holy, woman, active, anglesey, wales, early, century, daughter, sister, niece, saints, said, have, founded, church, llangwyllog, middle, anglesey, where, church, still, dedicated, life, commemoration, editlittle, known, cer. Saint Cwyllog or Cywyllog 1 was a Christian holy woman who was active in Anglesey Wales in the early 6th century The daughter sister and niece of saints she is said to have founded St Cwyllog s Church Llangwyllog in the middle of Anglesey where a church is still dedicated to her Life and commemoration EditLittle is known for certain about Cwyllog sometimes written as Cywyllog her dates of birth and death are not given in the sources She is said to have been one of the daughters of St Caw He was a king in northern Britain who lost his lands and sought safety with his family in Anglesey where the ruler Maelgwn Gwynedd gave him land in the north east of the island the district known as Twrcelyn 2 Other saintly relatives of Cwyllog included St Iestyn and St Cyngar brothers of Caw and her sisters Cain Peithian and Gwenafwy as well as various brothers including St Gildas although the number of Caw s children varies from 10 to 21 between different manuscripts 2 3 Cwyllog is said to have been the wife of Mordred or Medrod the treacherous son and nephew of King Arthur and mother of his sons According to the 19th century Welsh antiquarian Angharad Llwyd in her History of Anglesey Cwyllog decided to follow a religious life after her husband s death in battle against Arthur at the Battle of Camlann in 537 1 She is said to have founded St Cwyllog s Church Llangwyllog towards the middle of Anglesey but within the area granted to her father in the 6th century 1 4 The current church there which is still dedicated to her is of a later date with the walls possibly dating from about 1200 5 Her feast day there has been recorded as being 7 January although this date does not appear in the Welsh calendars of saints 1 According to critics Cwyllog may be a fictional creation Her name could be a back formation from the place name Llangwyllog The original saint of that location would be Gwrddelw son of Caw whose feast day is also 7 January Cwyllog s connection to Mordred originated with readings of Hector Boece who said Mordred s wife was a daughter of Gawolane Some scholars identified Gawolane as Caw of Prydyn which caused Welsh antiquary Lewis Morris to list Gildas as Medrawd s brother in law and eventually Kwyllog as Medrawd s wife 6 See also EditOther Anglesey saints commemorated in local churches include St Eleth at St Eleth s Church Amlwch St Iestyn at St Iestyn s Church Llaniestyn St Peulan at St Peulan s Church Llanbeulan St Tyfrydog at St Tyfrydog s Church LlandyfrydogReferences EditNotes a b c d Baring Gould p 279 a b Baring Gould pp 92 94 Baring Gould p 55 Lewis Samuel 1849 Llangwillog Llan Gwillog A Topographical Dictionary of Wales Retrieved 17 June 2010 Cadw 2009 Church of St Cwyllog Historic Wales Archived from the original on 29 September 2011 Retrieved 15 June 2010 Bartrum Peter C 1993 A Welsh Classical Dictionary People in History and Legend up to about A D 1000 National Library of Wales p 180 ISBN 0907158730 BibliographyBaring Gould Sabine 1907 The lives of the British Saints the Saints of Wales and Cornwall and such Irish Saints as have dedications in Britain volume 2 Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion Retrieved 15 June 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cwyllog amp oldid 1124897784, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
