Saint Caradog Fynach

Caradog the Monk was born to a good family in Brecknockshire during the 11th century (died 1124), receiving a lay education and training in harp playing. Due to his temperament and special accomplishments, he served at the court of the King of Deheubarth, Rhys ap Tewdwr (died 1093). He was a popular man with this king, but he fell out of Rhys's favor after losing two valuable greyhounds that were in his care. As a result of the king's angry threats, he was forced to leave the court and choose the religious life of a monk. He was received by Bishop Herwald at Llandaff before establishing a monastic home at the church of Llangennith on the Gower Peninsula. Later, however, he moved to St Davids, and after being ordained a priest there, he went to the island of Barry in northern Pembrokeshire. This was a turbulent period in the history of St Davids due to Scandinavian raids, and for safety, the Bishop of St Davids sent him to a hermit's cell at the church of St Ishmael in Rhos, in southern Pembrokeshire. He lived there for the rest of his life as far as we know, except for one pilgrimage to Bardsey Island, although it is not certain that he was the learned Caradog who visited the hermit Elgar on the island around the same period. When Henry I was King of England, Flemish immigrants came to the southern part of Pembrokeshire, forcing the Welsh of Rhos away. One of the new neighbors was Tancred of Haverfordwest, but the relationship between Caradog and him was not very comfortable. Caradog died in 1124 and was buried at St Davids. For a long time afterwards, a cross and chapel on Newgale beach marked the place where those carrying the body stopped and rested on the journey to St Davids. The story of Caradog was written by Gerald of Wales, but that is no longer available, though its substance can be read in Nova Legenda Anglie (1901 ed.), i, 174-6. Gerald went to Rome with the history and read it before Innocent III, requesting the canonization of his countryman.