St. Gildas is the earliest British writer whose writings are still around today. He was a monk and a hermit and wrote a book called 'De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae' (The Ruin & Conquest of Britain). He wrote other books too, but they have not survived. De Excidio was a religious book, although it does tell us some things about what was happening in Britain around King Arthur's time (early 6th century). We don't really know much about St. Gildas. His life-story was written down a few hundred years later. We don't know how much is true. It said: Gildas was born in Strathclyde (now in Scotland). He went to school in Gaul (France). He became a missionary, telling people about Jesus and the Bible in Wales and Ireland. His family fell out with King Arthur when he killed Gildas' brother, Huail. Gildas later forgave him. Gildas was friends with St. Cadog. He gave him his hand-bell. He also looked after his monastery at Llancarfan (Glamorgan) for a while. He then became a hermit on Flatholm, an island near Weston-super-Mare (Somerset). But he was attacked by pirates, so he moved to Street, near Glastonbury. He wrote his books there. He negotiated (got two sides to agree to) the release of Queen Guinevere when she was kidnapped. Gildas may have also gone to Brittany (North-West France), but this was probably a different saint called Gueltas. Activity Sheets Available