Saint Tydfil (

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

: Tudful;

martyred A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...

) is the legendary dedicatee of

Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. The old parish church of St Tydfil, Merthyr Tydfil is dedicated to her and is reputed to be the site of her death. According to legend, Tydfil was the twenty-third daughter of

Brychan Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in Mid Wales. Life According to Celtic hagiography Brychan was born in Ireland, the son of a Prince Anlach, son of Coronac, and h ...

, king of

Brycheiniog Brycheiniog was an independent kingdom in South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. It often acted as a buffer state between England to the east and the south Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth to the west. It was conquered and pacified by the Normans be ...

, by his fourth wife. She was murdered with her brother Rhun in Merthyr Tydfil, by either

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

pagans Pagans may refer to: * Paganism, a group of pre-Christian religions practiced in the Roman Empire * Modern Paganism, a group of contemporary religious practices * Order of the Vine, a druidic faction in the ''Thief'' video game series * Pagan's ...

, and buried in the town. No trace remains of her holy well Ffynnon Dydfil, which is thought to have been near the southern end of Well Street in Merthyr Tydfil. The daughter church of St Tydfil's Well is in the area of Merthyr Tydfil known as 'The Quar' (quarry). Llysworney Church in the Vale of Glamorgan is dedicated to this female saint, as was a chapel in Llantwit Major until it was given to the Abbey of Tewkesbury.

References

{{reflist Late Ancient Christian female saints 5th-century women Welsh princesses 5th-century Christian saints 5th-century Christian martyrs Children of Brychan Female saints of medieval Wales People from Powys Year of birth unknown 5th-century Welsh people