Pabo Post Prydain facts for kids

Pabo Post Prydain was a king who lived a long time ago, before the year 500 AD. He came from a part of Britain known as the Hen Ogledd or "Old North." This was a time when the Roman Empire had left Britain, and many small kingdoms were forming.

Pabo was sometimes called "the Pillar of Britain" because he was a strong leader. Around the year 460, he was forced to leave the North and settled on an island called Anglesey in Wales. People believe he was buried there. Later, around the 1300s, a stone cross was put up in his memory in a churchyard. Many people think Pabo founded the church there, possibly after he retired to live a quiet, religious life, which was common for Welsh kings back then.

Family and Connections

Pabo had an important family. Old Welsh family trees say he was the son of Cenau, who was the son of Coel Hen. Coel Hen was a very famous ancestor in many British royal families.

Pabo had several children, including Dunod Fawr, Sawyl Penuchel, and Ardun Benasgell. He also had saintly grandchildren like Deiniol, Asaph, and Tysilio.

One of Pabo's daughters is said to have married Maelgwn Gwynedd, who was a powerful king in Wales. His son, sometimes called "Samuel Chendisel," married a princess named Deichter from Ulster in Ireland. Their son, Sanctan, later traveled to Ireland with his brother Matóc. Sanctan founded a church called Kilnasantan in County Dublin. This shows that Pabo's family had connections across Britain and Ireland.

Llanbabo Church

There is a strong tradition that Pabo founded St Pabo's Church, Llanbabo in Anglesey. An old writer named Henry Rowlands, who lived in the 1700s, wrote that Pabo built his church there. He said Pabo was called "the Support of Britain" because he was brave against invaders like the Picts and Scots.

A special stone cross was put up in the churchyard to remember Pabo. It was made around the 1300s, at the same time Bangor Cathedral was being built. A Welsh poet named Lewis Morris said the cross was found around 1650.

The cross has a carving of a king and some writing. Part of the writing is hard to read, but it seems to say: "Here lies Pabo the Upholder of Britain, Confessor, Gruffudd ab Ithel offered (this) image."

Even though this tradition is old, some experts aren't sure if Pabo really founded the church because there isn't much very early evidence. However, the church is still named after him, and his story is an important part of its history.