Saint Brychan was a 5th century King of Brycheiniog in South Wales, famous for his many saintly children. The 5th century is the period from 401 to 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in Anno Domini / Common Era. Brecknockshire (Sir Frycheiniog also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales
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Life
Celtic hagiography tells us that Brychan was born in Ireland, the son of a Prince Anlach and his wife, Marchel, heiress of the Welsh kingdom of Garthmadrun (Brycheiniog), which the couple later inherited. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Hagiography ( is the study of Saints. A hagiography, from Greek (hağios (ἅγιος "holy" or "saint" and graphē (γραφή Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Brychan was tutored by Saint Drichan and, as a young man, was sent as a hostage to the court of King Banadl of Powys, thus securing peace in his father's kingdom. He raped the king's daughter, Banhadlwedd, and she bore him Saint Cynog. Upon his father's death, he returned to Garthmadrun where is reign was remembered as a glorious age of Christianity. Celtic Christianity, or Insular Christianity (sometimes called the Celtic Church or the British Church) broadly refers to the Early Medieval The Life of St. Cadoc (c. Saint Cadoc or Cadog (born about 497, Abbot of Llancarfan, was one of the 6th century Welsh saints, whose Vita twice mentions 1100) portrays Brychan fighting Arthur, Cai and Bedivere because of King Gwynllyw of Gwynllwg's abduction of his daughter St. Arthur is a common male name meaning " Bear -like" believed to possibly be descended from the Roman surname Artorius (" Plowman In Arthurian legend, Sir Bedivere ( Welsh: Bedwyr French: Bédoier also spelt Bedevere) is the Knight of the Round Table who returns Saint Gwynllyw Milwr or Gwynllyw Farfog, pronounced "G-win-th-loo" known in English in a corrupted form as Woolos the Warrior or Woolos the Bearded Gwynllŵg was a kingdom of Mediæval Wales and later a Norman lordship and then a cantref. Gwladys from his court in Talgarth. Saint Gwladys ferch Brychan or St Gladys ( Latin - Claudia) was the beautiful Queen of Saint Gwynllyw Milwr and one of the famous saintly Talgarth is a small Market town in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of around 1650 people
Portraiture and veneration
A 15th century stained glass window in the parish church at St Neot in Cornwall, supposedly depicts Brychan, seated and crowned, holding in his arms eleven children. For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art A parish church, in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a Parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches St Neot (ˈsɪnt ˈniːʊt is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom, situated between the towns of Bodmin and Liskeard. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar This, however, has been described by a standard modern guide as "God the Father with souls in his lap". His feast day is 6 April. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus
Children of Brychan
According to Christian tradition, Brychan married three times: Prawst ferch Tydwal, Banhadlwedd ferch Banadi and Gwladys, and had a very large family. These are mentioned in several manuscripts, including William Worcester, John Leland and Nicholas Roscarrock. William Worcester (c 1415 &ndash c 1482 English chronicler was a son of William of Worcester, a Bristol citizen and is sometimes called William This is about John Leland antiquary For other people called John Leland see John Leland (disambiguation. The number of children attributed to him varies from twelve to sixty-three, the number most frequently encountered being twenty-four. There are two main lists however, one of Welsh origin and one of Cornish origin. Most of his children appear to have travelled from Brecon to evangelise Cornwall and North Devon, where they are now venerated, but there is little agreement between the two lists. Brecon (Aberhonddu is an historic Market town in southern Powys, mid Wales, with a population of roughly 8000 with around 6000 in the surrounding area Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Some are referred to as being 'in Manau' which has led to associations of Brychan with Manaw Gododdin in modern Scotland; although the Isle of Man seems more likely. The Gododdin (goˈdoðin were a Brythonic people of north-eastern Britain (modern north-east England and south-east Scotland) in the sub-Roman Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical
The numbers of children may have grown over time, as more and more seculars as well as saints wished to claim descent from one of the 'Holy Families of Britain'. Listed below are children from Welsh, Cornish, Irish and Breton sources, as recorded on the Early British Kingdoms website:
Sons in Welsh sources
In the Cognacio Brychan, De Situ Brecheniauc and Jesus College MS20 are listed Cynog, Rhain Dremrudd, Clydwyn, Arthen, Papai, Dingad, Berwyn and Rhydog. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic For the Cornish-English dialect see West Country dialects and List of Cornish dialect words. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. The Breton language ( Brezhoneg) formerly often called Armoric or Armorican, is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany Dingad was a late 5th century Welsh Saint and early Christian church founder Also listed, but not in all three, are Cynon, Pasgen, Cylflifer, Marthaerun and Rhun. Other Welsh sources claim the following additional sons: Caian, Cynbryd, Cynfran, Cynin, Dogfan, Dyfnan, Dyfrig, Hychan, Llecheu, Neffei, Rhawin, Llofan, Llonio, Heilin, Afallach, Gwynnen and Gwynnws.
Daughters in Welsh sources
The De Situ Brecheniauc lists: Meleri, Hunydd, Gwladys, Ceingar, Tudglid, Nyfain, Gwawr, Marchell, Lluan, Gwrygon Goddeu, Arianwen, Bethan, Ceinwen (Keyne), Cerddych, Clydai, Cynheiddon (identified with Endelienta), Dwynwen, Eiliwedd, Goleudydd, Gwen, Lludd, Tudful, Tudwystl and Tybie. Saint Keyne or Cain was a late 5th century holy woman in the English West Country. Endelienta (also Endelient, Edellienta or Endellion) was a Cornish Saint of the 6th century Saint Dwynwen, also known as Dwyn, Donwen, and Donwenna, is the Welsh Patron saint of lovers Saint Eluned (or more properly in Welsh, Eiliwedd; also known as Almedha, Alud, Anger and Eiluned) was a 5th century female Saint Tydfil (died 480 Standard Welsh Tudful, was a 5th century female Saint associated with Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan Other Welsh sources claim the following additional daughters: Beiol, Tydieu, Eufail, Hawystl, Edwen, Gwenrhiw, Tudwen, Callwen, Gwenfyl, Gwennan and Mwynwen.
Cornish sources
Listed in the 'Life of Saint Nectan' are, by his wife, Gwladys:
Adwen, Canauc (Cynog), Cleder (Clether), Dilic (Illick), Endilient (Endelienta), Helie, Johannes (Sion), Iona, Juliana (Ilud), Kenhender (Cynidr), Keri (Curig), Mabon (Mabyn), Menfre (Menefrewy), Merewenne (Marwenna), Morewenna (Morwenna), Nectanus (Nectan), Tamalanc, Tedda (Tetha), Wencu, Wenheden (Enoder), Wenna (Gwen), Wensent, Wynup (Gwenabwy) and Yse (Issey). Mabena (also known as Mabon or Mabyn) was probably born in Brycheiniog in South Wales and later settled in Cornwall. Saint Morwenna was an early 6th century saint from Morwenstow in Cornwall. Saint Nectan, sometimes styled Saint Nectan of Hartland, was a 6th century Celtic holyman who lived in Stoke Hartland, in the English county Saint Wenna (died 18 October 544) was a Cornish saint and probably a Cornish queen
According to Robert Hunt, of the holy children that settled in Cornwall, we learn that the following gave their names to Cornish churches
- Johannes at St Ive
- Endelient at St Endellion
- Menfre at St Minver
- Tedda at St Teath
- Mabon at St Mabyn
- Merewenne at Marhamchurch
- Wenna at St Wenn
- Keyne at St Keyne
- Yse at St lssey
- Morewenna at Morwenstow
- Cleder at St Clether
- Keri at Egloskerry
- Helie at Egloshayle
- Adwen at Advent
- Lanent at Lelant
Irish sources
The Book of Leinster lists the following sons by Brychan's wife, Dína daughter of the King of the Saxons: Mo-Goróc, Mo-Chonóc (Cynog), Diraid, Dubán (Dyfnan), Cairinne (Caian), Cairpre, Iast, Ellóc (Dilic), Paan, Cáemán and Mo-Beóc,
Breton sources
Breton tradition says that Brychan married Menedoc daughter of Constantine, King of the Scots. Robert Hunt ( September 6, 1807 &ndash October 17, 1887) a scientist and Antiquarian, was born at Devonport, Plymouth St Ive is a village in Caradon District south-east Cornwall, UK. Endelienta (also Endelient, Edellienta or Endellion) was a Cornish Saint of the 6th century St Endellion is a Civil parish in North Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. St Minver is a small village in North Cornwall, United Kingdom. St Teath (ˌsɪntˈtɛθ is a small village in North Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Mabena (also known as Mabon or Mabyn) was probably born in Brycheiniog in South Wales and later settled in Cornwall. St Mabyn is a Village and Civil parish situated between Wadebridge and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, England, United Marhamchurch is a village in North Cornwall, UK. The village lies two miles inland from Bude off the A39 Atlantic Highway to Wadebridge Saint Wenna (died 18 October 544) was a Cornish saint and probably a Cornish queen St Wenn is a village and parish in the Restormel district of mid- Cornwall, United Kingdom Saint Keyne or Cain was a late 5th century holy woman in the English West Country. St Keyne is the name of a small village and Parish in Cornwall, UK. St Issey is a small village located about 25 miles (4 Km) south of Padstow and approximately 5 miles (8km north of St Columb Major in Cornwall Morwenstow is the most northerly Parish in Cornwall, UK. It is made up of several Hamlets including Shop Woodford Gooseham Eastcott Woolley Youlestone St Clether is small Village and Civil parish on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, UK. Egloskerry is a village and Civil parish located about five miles (8 km north west of Launceston in the North Cornwall district of Cornwall, Egloshayle ( eglos meaning church and heyl meaning estuary in Cornish) is a small village situated near the banks of the River Camel adjacent Advent is a Civil parish in the North Cornwall district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Lelant is a village in Cornwall, England, UK situated between the nearby towns of Hayle and St Ives The name is derived from the Together they were the parents of Saint Nennocha.
External links
- Early British Kingdoms: Children of Brychan Brycheiniog
- Early British Kingdoms: Brychan Brycheiniog, King of Brycheiniog including his image from St Neot.
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