Côr Tewdws facts for kids

Côr Tewdws or Bangor Tewdws was a made-up ancient school or "college" in Wales. It was believed to be a very old Christian learning center from the Roman times. People in the 18th and 19th centuries thought it was the first version of the real College and Abbey of Saint Illtud in Llantwit Major. This town is now in the Vale of Glamorgan.

However, this Roman college was actually invented. A historian named Edward Williams, also known as Iolo Morganwg, is thought to have made up the story.

The Forged History of Côr Tewdws

After Iolo Morganwg passed away, his son Taliesin Williams published some of his father's writings in 1848. These writings were called the "Iolo Manuscripts." In them, Iolo claimed he had copied old documents from the 1500s. These documents supposedly talked about Côr Tewdws.

Iolo's papers said the college was started by an Emperor Theodosius. This emperor ruled either before AD 396 or shortly after AD 410. The documents also mentioned a person called Cystennyn Fendigaid. This name refers to a legendary Welsh prince who became a High-King of Britain. He appears in old Welsh stories called the Welsh Triads. But historians now believe he was invented by a writer named Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 1100s.

One of the most quoted parts of Iolo's manuscripts was called 'Achau a Gwelygorddau Saint Ynys Prydain'. This means 'The Genealogies and Families of the Saints of the Island of Britain'. Iolo said he copied it in 1783.

When Historians Questioned the Story

By the late 1800s, people started to doubt Iolo Morganwg's sources. Historians like John Morris-Jones began to look closely at his claims. They said the parts about the college starting in Roman times were "fabulous antiquity." This means they were amazing but not true. They also said the stories "carried back [its history] to impossible people and periods."

Between 1919 and 1921, a professor named GJ Williams proved that Iolo Morganwg was a forger. A forger is someone who creates fake documents or art. Since then, Iolo's works about Côr Tewdws have been seen as untrue.

The Fictional Story of the College

Iolo Morganwg claimed that Côr Tewdws was founded around AD 400. He said it was in a place called Caer Worgorn. The supposed founders were Emperor Theodosius and Custennin Fendigaid. Custennin Fendigaid means "Constantine the Blessed." Iolo called this college Bangor Dewdws.

In another one of his writings, Iolo made an even bigger claim. He said that in "the choir of Llan Iltyd Vawr in Caer Worgan … were two thousand four hundred saints." He added that "one hundred were engaged in rotation every hour, both day and night, in celebrating the praise and service of God without rest or intermission." This means 2,400 holy people supposedly worked there, with 100 always praying and serving God.

The College's Supposed Destruction

After the Roman soldiers left Britain, the country faced attacks. Irish, Scots, and Picts raided British towns. They would burn villages and take people as slaves. Iolo Morganwg claimed that Côr Tewdws was burned down in AD 396 by Irish raiders. He even said that Saint Patrick, a famous saint, was kidnapped from the college at that time.

Iolo's story continued, saying the college was in ruins for some years. Then, he claimed it was rebuilt in AD 436 by Germanus. Germanus was described as "a saint and bishop, son of Ridigius, a saint of the land of Gaul." Iolo said Germanus appointed Saint Illtud as the new head of the college. This new college was supposedly called Bangor Illtyd.

How People Believed the Story

In the 1800s, many early historians and collectors of old things believed Iolo Morganwg's made-up stories. This was true even for the writings published after he died. The Roman emperor mentioned was likely Theodosius II.

Iolo's son, Taliesin Williams, called the college ‘Bangor Tewdws’ in his notes. This was slightly different from his father's ‘Bangor Dewdws’. By 1803, Iolo's friend William Owen Pughe used the name Côr Tewdws in his book 'Cambrian Biography'. This name became the most common one. Other historians used different dates for the college's events. Some even thought the college was destroyed by Anglo-Saxon warriors instead of Irish raiders.

The Real College: Bangor Illtyd

What Iolo Morganwg described as a "refounding" of the college is actually what modern historians believe was its true beginning. This real foundation probably happened a bit later, in the early 500s. It's still debated whether Saint Illtud founded it alone. Or if he worked with one of the various Saints Germanus.

Côr Tewdws in Popular Culture

For a while, Côr Tewdws was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Between at least 1987 and 1993, it was named as one of the possible "oldest schools in Britain." However, Guinness did mention that its early start was only "reputed," meaning it was just a rumor. The real 6th-century Bangor Illtyd is still likely the oldest known school foundation in the United Kingdom.