Gwynllyw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Gwynllyw Milwr |
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Drawing of a statue of Gwynllyw (Welsh Portrait Collection}
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| King | |
| Born | 17 January 450 traditionally Gwynllwg |
| Died | 29 March 529 Stow Hill, Newport |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church Anglican Communion |
| Major shrine | St Woolos Cathedral (destroyed) |
| Feast | 29 March |
| Attributes | crowned warrior, carrying spear sometimes accompanied by an ox |
| Patronage | Newport; pirates; soldiers |
| Controversy | place of death (see text) |
Gwynllyw Filwr (pronounced Gwin-hlee-oo Fil-oor), also known as Gwynllyw Farfog (Gwin-hlee-oo Var-vog), was a Welsh king and a religious leader. In English, he is sometimes called Woolos the Warrior or Woolos the Bearded. He lived around the 5th century, from about 450 AD to 500 AD.
Gwynllyw was the King of Gwynllŵg in South Wales. He is famous for being the founder and patron saint of the city of Newport. Old stories say he was a strong warrior who knew King Arthur. Later in his life, he became very religious and lived as a hermit (someone who lives alone for religious reasons). He also founded St Woolos Cathedral in Newport. Gwynllyw was the father of Saint Cadoc the Wise, who became a very important Welsh saint.
Contents
Stories About King Gwynllyw
Old stories about Saint Gwynllyw and his son, Saint Cadoc, tell us about Gwynllyw's life. These stories were written a long time ago, around 1100-1120 AD. While they are legends and might not be exactly true, they probably contain some real facts about a king named Gwynllyw. Welsh poets (bards) used to sing about his adventures, showing he was a popular figure.
His Family and Kingdom
Gwynllyw was the son of King Glywys. His father ruled a powerful kingdom called Glywysing, which was mostly in Glamorgan. When King Glywys died, his kingdom was divided among his sons. Gwynllyw was the oldest and strongest, ruling over the others. His own area was called Gwynllwg, named after him. Today, this area is known as Wentloog. One of Gwynllyw's brothers was Saint Petroc, an important saint in Cornwall and Brittany.
A Warrior King's Life
King Gwynllyw was known as a fierce warrior. He often attacked nearby kingdoms. Some stories say he even encouraged thieves, but others say he was a fair ruler. One famous story tells how he raided Brycheiniog, a kingdom to the north. He took Gwladys (Gladys), the beautiful daughter of King Brychan, because her father would not let them marry. Gwladys was one of Brychan's many children.
A big battle happened, and it was only stopped when King Arthur and his knights, Cai and Bedwyr, stepped in to help Gwynllyw. This story is similar to other tales about King Arthur, suggesting it came from old bardic songs. It's one of the earliest times King Arthur is mentioned in a saint's life story. However, another story says the marriage happened peacefully without a battle.
His Children and Conversion
Gwynllyw and Gwladys soon had a son, who became the famous saint Cadoc. To celebrate Cadoc's birth, Gwynllyw went on another raid, taking cattle from Caerwent. When Saint Tatheus bravely came to ask for a cow back, Gwynllyw was so impressed that he sent his son Cadoc to Tathyw to be educated. Gwynllyw also had other children who became saints, including Cynidr, Bugi, and Egwine.
Cadoc grew up to be very religious. Some stories say that Cadoc's example and teachings convinced Gwynllyw to stop his violent life and seek forgiveness. King Gwynllyw then had a dream. An angel spoke to him, and he saw a white ox with a black spot on its forehead. Gwynllyw went out and found the same ox. He decided to build a hermitage (a quiet place for religious living) there, on what is now Stow Hill in Newport. He built it out of wood. Gwynllyw said this spot was a wonderful place to live a peaceful, religious life. It was common for Welsh kings to give up their rule and become religious.
Life as a Hermit
Gwladys joined Gwynllyw in his new life as a hermit. For a while, they lived together on Stow Hill. They fasted, ate only vegetables, and bathed in the cold Usk to show their faith. A miraculous fountain even appeared on the hill when Gwynllyw prayed for water. Later, they moved to separate places, with Saint Gwladys starting her own hermitage at Pencarn.
When Gwynllyw was dying, his son Cadoc and Saint Dubricius were with him. They gave him his last religious rites. His feast day, March 29, is the traditional date of his death. The exact year he died is not certain, but it was likely around 500 or 523 AD. After he died, his small hermit cell became an important holy place, and a church was built there. This church is now St Woolos Cathedral, which is the main church for the Bishop of Monmouth. In the 9th century, Gwynllyw's church was rebuilt with stone. This showed how important he was and how wealthy his shrine had become, as stone buildings were rare in Wales back then. Part of this old stone building is still part of St Woolos Cathedral today.
Honoring Saint Gwynllyw
The stories say that many miracles happened because of Saint Gwynllyw. His fountain could heal people, and angels were seen near his tomb. Later miracles included protecting a poet (bard) from floods and destroying a Viking fleet at sea after they had stolen from his church. The defeat of King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings was even blamed on Saint Gwynllyw's anger. Harold and his soldiers had recently stolen from Gwynllyw's church while attacking the nearby kingdom of Gwent.
These stories about attacks on the church match real periods of fighting in the area. So, while the miracles might be legends, the attacks probably happened. People deeply respected Saint Gwynllyw, not just the Welsh, but also the Saxons and Normans who came to live in Newport. The Norman Lords of Newport continued to make the church bigger, and this work has continued to this day.
Later Stories and Legacy
After the medieval period, more stories about Gwynllyw's past began to appear. Some tales said he was a pirate whose ships, based in a place called Pillgwenlly (which is named after him), caused fear across the Bristol Channel. One story claims that because of this, Gwynllyw became the patron saint of Welsh pirates and smugglers, like Sir Henry Morgan. Many sailors in Newport would have known about him. Another local story says that Gwynllyw forced the people of Gwynllwg to be baptized with a sword.
In 1949, St Woolos Church became a full cathedral. Today, besides churches, Saint Gwynllyw is remembered in other ways. There is St Woolos Hospital and St Woolos Primary School. In 1988, a Welsh language school, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, was opened in Pontypool. The vision of the ox that inspired Gwynllyw to build his hermitage also inspired a sculpture. This sculpture, called The Vision of Saint Gwynllyw or The Bell Carrier, was finished in 1996 and can be found in central Newport today.
See also
- Saint Gwynllyw, patron saint archive
