Saints Tanwg of Llandanwg and Iestyn of Llaniestyn

St Tanwg’s Church, Llandanwg, Gwynedd

The tenth of October is the feast-day of two northern Welsh saints, the sixth-century holy men Tanwg and Iestyn. Tanwg is commemorated in Llandanwg in Gwynedd, where he established a hermitage and church – he is also associated with Bardsey, being a follower of Saint Cadfan. He is the brother of Saint Twrog, and has seven other brothers besides who all became locally-venerated saints. Iestyn, on the other hand, is commemorated chiefly on Anglesey, where he founded a church at Llaniestyn. He was a kinsman of Saint Cyngar and a follower of Saint Cybi Felyn. He is not to be confused with the Saint Stinan (who is also called Iestyn) of Ramsey Island in south Wales.

Saint Tanwg was one of the nine sons of Ithel Hael o Llydaw in Brittany, among whom also numbered the saints Baglan, Flewyn, Gredifael, Tecwyn, Tegai, Trillo, Twrog and Llechid. All nine sons fell under the sway of the charismatic Saint Cadfan, the elder son of Saint Gwen Teirbron by her first husband, who founded the monastic college on Ynys Enlli. Tanwg left Brittany with Saint Cadfan and travelled to Bardsey along with his eight brothers. He later left Bardsey to become an anchorite. Legend has it that he founded the small church at Llandanwg, though an inscribed stone, the Ingenuus stone, there suggests that there was already a church at Llandanwg dating to the fifth century, before Tanwg came there. This church was built so close to the sea that in stormy weather it was said that the churchyard would flood. This church was rebuilt in 1839 further inland at Harlech on the other side of Llanfair, and the dedication was still to Saint Tanwg.

Saint Iestyn [or Justinus] of Anglesey, another sixth-century north Welsh anchorite, is credited with founding a parish at Llaniestyn on the island. Iestyn was a Cornish prince by birth, a son of Geraint of Dumnonia who died in battle against the Saxons at Llongborth, and one of his brothers was the aforementioned Saint Cyngar. When Saint Cybi ‘the Tawny’ began his activities as a missionary and founder of churches in Wales, he was accompanied by Saint Cyngar and supposedly Saint Iestyn also. After the foundation of his monastery on Anglesey, both of his uncles departed him, though Saint Iestyn did not remove himself as far as Cyngar, who either settled in Congresbury or went over to Brittany. Iestyn established one church in Gwynedd and another on the holy isle. In addition to the parish, Iestyn is credited with bringing forth a holy well near the church on the island.

Venerable ascetics Tanwg and Iestyn, pray unto Christ our God that our souls may be saved!

St Iestyn’s Church, Llaniestyn, Anglesey