Dyfodwg, or Tyfodwg, was a 6th-century
Welsh saint. He is one of the three saints (with
Illtyd
Saint Illtud (also spelled Illtyd, Eltut, and, in Latin, Hildutus), also known as Illtud Farchog or Illtud the Knight, is venerated as the abbot teacher of the divinity school, Bangor Illtyd, located in Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major) in Gl ...
and
Gwynno
Gwynno, or Gwynnog ab Gildas, is the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint
Archives at the Vatican record that his festival is 26 October; that he is regarded as a confessor; and that there is said to be a sacred well, Ffynnon Wyno, associated with L ...
) from whom the ancient parish of
Llantrisant
Llantrisant (; "Parish of the Three Saints") is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The three saints of the town's name are SS ...
takes its name, and possibly the patron (believed to have been Tyfodwg son of Gwilfyw) of the parish church of Llandyfodwg in Glynogwr, between Blackmill and Gilfach Goch in
Bridgend
Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge ...
, and gave his name to the ancient parish of
Ystradyfodwg
Ystradyfodwg or Ystrad Dyfodwg (Vale of Tyfodwg) was an ancient upland parish in Glamorgan, Wales. It is believed to have been named after Dyfodwg (or Tyfodwg) a 6th-century saint or chieftain. The parish included most of the area which would late ...
.
Some records state Dyfodwg was a Breton monk, while others that he was born within the
Glamorgan
, HQ = Cardiff
, Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974)
, Origin=
, Code = GLA
, CodeName = Chapman code
, Replace =
* West Glamorgan
* Mid Glamorgan
* South Glamorgan
, Motto ...
area.
Iolo Morgannwg
Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclope ...
states that Dyfodwg founded a church at
Ystradyfodwg
Ystradyfodwg or Ystrad Dyfodwg (Vale of Tyfodwg) was an ancient upland parish in Glamorgan, Wales. It is believed to have been named after Dyfodwg (or Tyfodwg) a 6th-century saint or chieftain. The parish included most of the area which would late ...
(''The vale of Tyfodwg'') and was a disciple of
Illtyd
Saint Illtud (also spelled Illtyd, Eltut, and, in Latin, Hildutus), also known as Illtud Farchog or Illtud the Knight, is venerated as the abbot teacher of the divinity school, Bangor Illtyd, located in Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major) in Gl ...
at
Llantwit Major
Llantwit Major ( cy, Llanilltud Fawr) is a town and community in Wales on the Bristol Channel coast. It is one of four towns in the Vale of Glamorgan, with the third largest population (13,366 in 2001) after Barry and Penarth, and ahead of Cowb ...
. However, there is no record of any church being dedicated to him in Ystradyfodwg itself (the parish church is dedicated to Saint John), leading some to suggest that the parish was named, not for a saint, but a local chieftain. One legend records that Tyfodwg was a chieftain promised sainthood by the monks at
Penrhys
Penrhys is a village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated on a hillside overlooking both valleys of Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach. It is situated around 1,100 ft above sea level and is a district of Tylorstown. Until th ...
.
According to Rice Rees Tyfodwg was one of the associates of Cadfan (presumably
Saint Cadfan
Saint Cadfan ( la, Catamanus), sometimes Anglicized as Gideon, was the 6th century founder-abbot of Tywyn (whose church is dedicated to him) and Bardsey, both in Gwynedd, Wales. He was said to have received the island of Bardsey from Saint E ...
), though the family line in the Cambrian Biography, is inconsistent with known chronology.
An Essay on the Welsh Saints, or the Primitive Christians usually considered to have been the founders of churches in Wales.
Revd Rice Rees, Longman &c., 1836. His patronal feast is kept on 25 June.[Parish Website for St Tyfodwg's Church](_blank)
accessed 19 November 2011
References
{{Authority control
Surnames of Welsh origin
Medieval Welsh saints
People from Glamorgan
Southwestern Brythonic saints
6th-century Christian saints