 | Local Saints
Catsash, on the ridge above Caerleon beside the ancient Via ]ulia is a strange
name that may be explained as follows. The word cat is generally derived from
cad, meaning battle, and the Celtic Ash is derived from the old English aesc.
Therefore it is feasible that Cat's Ash originated from Cad Aesc and
represented the battle of Oesc (or Aesc), whose corrupted name may be a folk
memory of that event. Remnants of an ancient chapel can be seen at Cat's Ash
and the fact that it is dedicated to St Curig, who is said to have been one of
Arthur's soldiers, may be of some significance.
Nennius wrote that 'the ninth battle was fought in the City of the Legions'.
This was around 510 when Arthur was campaigning and a story in the
Mabinogion suggests that in this battle he gained a victory over Osla Gyllefawr
(Osla Long Knife). The battle may have taken place beside the Via ]ulia to the
east of Caerleon. Arthur was pursuing Osla towards the Severn estuary. It is
possible that Oesc, the son of Hengist, a Saxon was killed at this battle, which
became known as Cad Oesc (Cats Ash).
Llandegefedd; was once known as Llan Defwed and the church is dedicated to
St Tegfedd. She first married Cedig ap Ceredig ap Cunedda by whom she
became the mother of Afan of Bualth. She later married Enllyn ap Hydwy ap
Ceredig by whom she had a child named Teilo who is well remembered as one
of the bishops of Llandaff. Llandegfedd Church is built on the spot where she
was murdered and it used to be called Merthyr Tegfedd, meaning the
Martyrium of Tegfedd,
Llanderfil; was a chapel in the adjoining parish of Llanfihangel juxta
Llantarnam. It used to be known as St Derfil's Church and belonged to the
Cistercian Abbey at Llantarnam. Rice Davies in his Essay on the Welsh Saints
says that it was founded by Derfel Gadarn (Derfel the Strong) who fought
alongside Arthur at the battle of Camlan. Towards the end of his life Derfel
gave up his warlike ways and turned to religion. His chapel was was treated
with the greatest of veneration and became a place of local pilgrimage. Now
only the foundations remain.
Llangybi, half-way between Caerleon and Usk was founded by Cybi the son
of Selyf, son of Geraint, who was killed at the battle of Llongborth. Cybi was a
cousin of Dewi (St David).
Llandewi Fach, just north of caerleon is dedicated to Dewi (David) who
tradition tells us was King Arthur's uncle.
Llanbadoc, near Usk, was known in ancient times as Cil Feignan (Meigan's
Retreat). He was the son of Gwyndaf Hen ap Emyr Llydaw by Gwenonwy, the
sister of Arthur.
Llanfrechfa, near Caerleon is said to be named after Caradoc Freichfras
(Strong Arm) who according to the Welsh Triads was Arthur's Chief Elder at
Gelliwig. His grandson was Medraut who died fighting Arthur at the battle of
Camlan.
Llanhennock, just east of Caerleon is a hamlet perched on the end of a narrow
ridge providing extensive views. The first church established here in the sixth
century was dedicated to St Henwg and is said to have been founded by his
son Taliesin. Henwg was ordained as a deacon by his cousin St Samson, whose
mother was Anna the sister of Arthur.
Llechau, occurs as the name of a stream near Caerleon and corresponds to
Llacheu. The Vulgate Merlin makes Llacheu an illegitimate son of Arthur by
Lissonar, the daughter of Earl Sevain of Castle Quimper-Corentin in Brittanny.
St julians about one mile to the west of Caerleon is believed to have been the
site of the church of ]ulius the Martyr, where Geoffrey of Monmouth claims
that Queen Guinevere became a nun. An Elizabethan mansion (unfortunately
demolished in the 1970s) was reputed to occupy the site of some monastic
buildings which echoed the tradition that here once stood a church dedicated
to ]ulius. His companion Aaron, who was martyred at the same time (1 ]uly
303), is said to have been buried at Penrhos to the north-east of Caerleon,
where a chapel was erected to his memory on the site of a small Roman camp,
constructed as an outpost to the Legionary fortress.
'Queen Guinevere gave way to despair. She fled to the City of the Legions and there, in
the church of ]`ulius the Martyr, she took her vows among the nuns, promising to lead
a chaste life'.
Tredunnock in the Usk Valley to the north of Caerleon is the location of a
strange Arthurian tale which is mentioned in the ancient B00k 0fLlundz1]j·T When
Cadoc was Abbot of Llancarfan, Arthur was in search of Ligessauc son of
Eliman, who had slain three of his knights. Cadoc concealed the agressor for
seven years, and ultimately persuaded Arthur to accept his arbitration, on the
banks of the river Usk. Arthur was awarded a hundred cows for the knights
but he insisted that every cow must be red before and white behind. The
resourceful Cadoc enchanted a herd of ordinary cows to this colouring, but
when Arthur's knights, Cai and Bedwr led them over the ford, they all turned
into bundles of fern. Arthur was humbled, and dedicated the spot as a
sanctuary under the name of Trefredinauc or Ferntown and it is now known as
Tredunnock.
Gwent as a name originated from Venta Silurum (Caerwent) and in the fifth
century Glywysing (founded by King Glywys) became united with Gwent.
The first ruler of this united kingdom was Tewdrig Fendigaid (the Blessed),
grandfather of Arthur. After 665 this kingdom became known as Morgannwg
after Arthur's son Morgan Mwynfawr. |
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