Saint Gwyndaf Hen

Gwyndaf Hen is an early saint, also known as Saint Gwyndaf (or Gwnda). It is possible that he founded churches or religious sites at Llanwnda in Caernarfonshire, Llanwnda in Pembrokeshire, and Capel Gwnda near Rhydlewis in Cardiganshire. It is said that Gwyndaf Hen traveled with Saint Cadfan from Brittany to the Llŷn Peninsula, accompanied by other followers including the saints Padarn, Tydecho, Henwyn, Meugant, Mael, Trinio, Sulien, Tanwg, Sadwrn, Lleuddad, Tecwyn, and Maelrys. The Franks attacked Brittany in the 540s, and when Emyr Llydaw died in 546, power was seized from his son, Hoel, forcing many of his family to flee. Many of them established churches or religious sites in North Wales. Gwyndaf Hen was the son of Emyr Llydaw and married Gwenonwy, daughter of Meurig ap Tewdrig, King of Morgannwg, and (according to some authors) sister to King Arthur. They had two children, Meugan and Hywyn. The only sources regarding individual saints are hagiographies (or biographies) written centuries after these people died. The truth is that we know nothing of Gwyndaf other than that he left his name on churches in Wales, early in the history of Welsh Christianity. The suggestion that he hailed from Brittany is also quite possible, as many of Wales's saints came from there in the 6th century AD.