Sawyl Penuchel facts for kids

Sawyl Penuchel (also called Ben Uchel, meaning "high-head" or "arrogant") was an important British king from a very long time ago, after the Romans left Britain. He is also known as Samuil Penisel, which means "low-head" or "humble." We learn about him from old Welsh family records and special lists called the Welsh Triads.

Sawyl's Family Tree

Old family records, like ancient family trees, show that Sawyl Penuchel was the son of Pabo Post Prydain. He was also a descendant of Coel Hen, who was thought to be a king in the "Old North" of Britain. This area is now parts of northern England and southern Scotland.

A historian named John Morris believed Sawyl lived in the southern Pennines area. This is where the Peak District is today. Sawyl is also listed in the Welsh Triads as one of the "Three Arrogant Men of the Island of Britain." This suggests he was known for being proud or stubborn.

Sawyl's Children and Other Connections

Some old family records say that Sawyl was the father of Saint Asaph. Saint Asaph was a very important religious leader. Another old book, Elis Gruffydd's Chronicle, says that Sawyl's daughter married Maelgwn Gwynedd. Maelgwn Gwynedd was a powerful king in Wales.

An Irish family record also mentions a "Samuel Chendisel." This person married Deichter, who was the daughter of Muiredach Muinderg, a king in Ulster, Ireland. They had two sons, Sanctan and Matóc Ailithir. Sanctan became a bishop and started a church in Ireland. An old Irish book, the Liber Hymnorum, confirms that both Sanctan and Matóc came to Ireland from Britain.

The Story of Sawyl and Saint Cadoc

There is a story about a king named Sawyl Penuchel in the Welsh Life of Saint Cadoc. This story says Sawyl had his court at a place called Allt Cunedda near Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

In the story, Sawyl's warriors stole food from Llancarfan Abbey. Saint Cadoc chased after them. He found them sleeping under a tree and cut off their hair! Then, Cadoc ran away to a nearby bog (a wet, muddy area). When Sawyl and his men chased him, they all drowned in the bog.

It's not clear if this Sawyl is the same king from the north. He might have moved to Wales after his northern kingdom was taken over. Or, it could be a different person with the same name, or just a mistake in the old story. This Sawyl from the story was supposedly buried in a nearby mound called Banc Benuchel.

What Was Found at Banc Benuchel?

In 1850, people dug into the mound called Banc Benuchel. They found a large body covered with a stone that looked like a battle-shield. Many people thought these were the remains of Sawyl Penuchel.

The skeleton was described as a male, and he was thought to be about 30 years old when he died. This was figured out by looking at his teeth. Detailed measurements were written down in a report in 1851. The skull was about 21.5 inches around. The thigh bones were 20.5 inches long.

The report said the bones were buried again, except for some teeth and a few backbones that were kept as souvenirs. However, later, people who remembered the original digging said something different. They recalled finding a very large flat stone that was hard to move. Underneath, they found the skeleton of a large, strong man sitting up and facing south. They said the bones, especially the legs, were very big, and the skull had a hole in it.

When asked what happened to the skeleton, witnesses agreed that the landowner sent the bones to London, but they didn't know exactly where. Another dig in 1881 found no body, which made people wonder if the 1851 report about re-burying the bones was true. Even in 1937, no one could find out what happened to Sawyl's remains.

Sawyl in Other Stories

Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a famous book called History of the Kings of Britain in 1136. In this book, he uses the name Samuil Penessil for a legendary king of Britain who lived even before the Romans. This king was said to have ruled after Redechius and before Pir.