St. Tewdrig,
King of Gwent & Glywysing
(c.590-c.688)
(Latin: Theodoricius; English: Theodoric)

St. Tewdrig was the son of King Llywarch ap Nynnio of Gwent & Glywysing. He inherited the Throne in the early 7th century, but little is known of his reign. In later life, he abdicated in favour of his son, Meurig, and became a hermit at Din-Teyryn (Tintern). Soon afterward, however, around 630, the Anglo-Saxons invaded Gwent. The local monasteries were particularly badly hit by their raids and so Tewdrig decided to come out of retirement and take up his sword once more to defend the Church.

Together with his son, the two Kings pushed back the Anglo-Saxon menace, but Tewdrig was wounded in the Battle of Pont-y-Saeson and had to be taken to Flat Holm in the Bristol Channel for treatment. An ox-cart was called to take him there but, on their journey, the oxen stopped themselves at a miraculous spring (now known as St. Tewdrig's Well). There Tewdrig's wounds were cleansed and there he died. King Meurig built a great church on the spot and enshrined his father's saintly body there. The place became known Merthyr-Teyryn (Mathern) after the Martyred-Prince.