Gwynllŵg was a kingdom of

Medieval Wales Wales in the Middle Ages covers the history of the country that is now called Wales, from the departure of the Romans in the early fifth century to the annexation of Wales into the Kingdom of England in the early sixteenth century. This period ...

and later a Norman

lordship A lordship is a territory held by a lord. It was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas. It originated as a unit under the feudal system during the Middle Ages. In a lordship, the functions of eco ...

and then a

cantref A cantref ( ; ; plural cantrefi or cantrefs; also rendered as ''cantred'') was a Wales in the Early Middle Ages, medieval Welsh land division, particularly important in the administration of Welsh law. Description Land in medieval Wales was divid ...

. It is named after

Gwynllyw Gwynllyw Filwr or Gwynllyw Farfog (), known in English in a corrupted form as Woolos the Warrior or Woolos the Bearded (; 450 – 500 CE) was a Welsh king and religious figure. He was King of Gwynllŵg in South Wales and is the legendary found ...

, its 5th century and 6th century ruler.

Location

The place consists of coastal plain stretching between the

Rhymney Rhymney (; ) is a town and a community (Wales), community in the county borough of Caerphilly (county borough), Caerphilly, South Wales. It is within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshir ...

and Usk River, together with the hills to the north, the Commote of Machen. It was traditionally regarded as part of the kingdom of

Glamorgan Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...

(), rather than that of Gwent which extended only as far westwards as the River Usk. However, under the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535–42, the cantref was included with those situated to the east, to form the new county of

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

Wentloog and St. Woolos

The name ''Gwynllŵg'' became a

marcher lord A marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. A marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in Fra ...

ship (alternatively called Newport). The name survives as ' Wentloog' in the Wentloog hundred and in villages on the coastal plain such as Peterstone Wentloog and St Brides Wentloog. The name Pillgwenlly for a district of central Newport also contains a corrupted version of this name. The Caldicot and Wentloog Levels also take their name from the hundred. The

Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

at Newport is dedicated to

(corrupted to St. Woolos). The name survives as 'St. Woolos' as the general locality around the cathedral.

References

Cantrefs History of Newport, Wales Kingdoms of Wales History of Monmouthshire Marcher lordships States and territories established in the 5th century {{Newport-geo-stub