Venerable Cwyllog, Anchoress of Anglesey

St Cwyllog’s Church, Llangwyllog, Anglesey

The seventh of January in the Orthodox Church is the feast-day of Saint Cwyllog, a northern Welsh saint of the sixth century who settled on Ynys Môn in her old age, at the church she founded and at which she is still remembered. She has something of a reputation in the Matter of Britain, but her holy life seemed to have left a good impression on the people of Gwynedd, who still venerate her. Saint Caffo, her brother, is venerated with her.

Saint Cwyllog was a daughter of Caw, king of Alt Clud, and thus a sister of Saint Gildas and of Saint Caffo. She sought sanctuary in Gwynedd when the Angles attacked the north country, and she and her family found refuge in the court of Maelgwn Gwynedd. The king of Gwynedd granted some land to the fleeing royals, Caw and his children, in Twrcelyn on the northeastern side of Ynys Môn. Later in her life she desired to become a holy anchoress, and founded a church in the southwestern part of her father’s sway, at Llangwyllog.

The Matter of Britain has it that Cwyllog was the wife of King Arthur’s nemesis Medrawd, and that she founded her church at Llangwyllog after the Battle of Camlann. Medrawd having fallen in battle and left her a widow, she undertook to become an anchoress. In despite of her husband’s treacherous reputation, she nonetheless had little trouble attracting a devoted local following. Holy anchoress Cwyllog, pray unto Christ our God for us!