Saint Cadfan
Encyclopedia
Saint Cadfan,; (Gideon), (c.490-November 1?) Abbot of Tywyn and Bardsey was a Breton
Saint
who lived in 6th century Wales
. A Breton nobleman, he was the son of Eneas Ledewig , and Gwen Teirbron, a daughter of Budic II, a King of Brittany
.
he is primarily associated with Bardsey Island
in north Wales
where he is accepted as the founder of the monastic settlement there in 516, serving as its abbot until 542, which would have made a 530 birth impossible.Multiple sources claim that the abbey he founded on Bardsey was established in 516, so it is therefore unlikely he was born after 500. He is also the patron of Llangadfan
in northern Powys
, where he founded a church before moving on to Bardsey. Additionally he also established the 'clas' at Tywyn
in Gwynedd
. This became a wealthy and prestigious site served by an Abbot
and clerics from 1147 to 1291, becoming the mother church of the cantre of Meirionnydd
south of the Afon Dysynni
.
Breton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
who lived in 6th century Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. A Breton nobleman, he was the son of Eneas Ledewig , and Gwen Teirbron, a daughter of Budic II, a King of Brittany
Armorica
Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
.
Associations & Legacy
Some sources claim Cadfan was born around 530 and died around 590.Howeverhe is primarily associated with Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island , the legendary "Island of 20,000 saints", lies off the Llŷn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The Welsh name means "The Island in the Currents", although its English name refers to the "Island of the Bards", or possibly the island of the Viking chieftan, "Barda". It is ...
in north Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
where he is accepted as the founder of the monastic settlement there in 516, serving as its abbot until 542, which would have made a 530 birth impossible.Multiple sources claim that the abbey he founded on Bardsey was established in 516, so it is therefore unlikely he was born after 500. He is also the patron of Llangadfan
Llangadfan
Llangadfan is a small village in Powys, east central Wales, based in the community of Banwy. The village lies on the A458 between Foel and Llanerfyl, from Llanwddyn. Dyfnant Forest is located nearby...
in northern Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, where he founded a church before moving on to Bardsey. Additionally he also established the 'clas' at Tywyn
Tywyn
Tywyn is a town and seaside resort on the Cardigan Bay coast of southern Gwynedd , in north Wales. The name derives from the Welsh tywyn and the town is sometimes referred to as Tywyn Meirionnydd...
in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
. This became a wealthy and prestigious site served by an Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
and clerics from 1147 to 1291, becoming the mother church of the cantre of Meirionnydd
Meirionnydd
Meirionnydd is a coastal and mountainous region of Wales. It has been a kingdom, a cantref, a district and, as Merionethshire, a county.-Kingdom:...
south of the Afon Dysynni
River Dysynni
The River Dysynni is a river in mid Wales.- Source :The River Dysynni flows from the western end of Tal-y-llyn Lake and enters Cardigan Bay through the Broad Water lagoon to the north of Tywyn near Tonfanau.-External links:**...
.