Introduction

The Parish and Church of St. Clydai

Photographs by Mark Wilson of Tegryn

The Church stands at almost the exact centre of the parish which has a population of about 600. It now contains the villages and hamlets of Star, Tegryn, Bwlchygroes, Llancych and Llwyndrain.
The Church is a mile from Penfeidr in a secluded hidden valley.
St. Clydai and the Celtic Saints

St. Clydai, also known as Clydai Clotfaith 'of long renown', was the virgin daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog, one of the Irish saints who came into West Wales in the wake of the Irish raiders and traders of the fifth century. Brychan, son of an Irish king, was born about the year 400, and became ruler of Brecon. The story of his birth is given in a brief Latin version. Tewdrig was king of Garthmedryn [Brechnockshire) and had a daughter, Marchell, who was sent to Ireland, where she married Anlach, the son of King Coronac. Their son was named Brachan, later changed to Brychan. Marchell and Anlach returned to Wales with Brychan, who was fostered by Drichan. Later Brychan was sent as a hostage to the king of Powys.

Brychan became king of Garthmadryn, which was renamed Brycheiniog from the name of its new ruler. He is said to have married three times, and had eleven (or thirteen) sons and twenty-four daughters. Many of the children became saints, and twenty-nine churches are dedicated to them in West Wales. Some of the children also spread into north-east and east Cornwall. Brychan's father, Anlach, is said to be buried near the door of Llanspyddid church, and in the churchyard is a stone known as the Cross of Brychan Brycheiniog. Corth, or Cymorth, a daughter of Brychan and a sister of St. Clydai, married St. Brynach of Nevern.

It is important to understand the implications of the word 'saint' in this area. It does not imply so much their own personal standing, but that they devoted their lives to contemplation and prayer. Many of them would retire into some remote spot, in the manner of a hermit, but were always ready to talk and give counsel to those who sought them out. In this way they were also missionaries, and thus the Church expanded.

Little is known about St. Clydai beyond her parentage and relations, but presumably she 'retired' to the spot where the church now stands, and there she lived. It is tempting to imagine that the circular churchyard marks the boundary of her holding: this shape is normally a strong indication of an ancient and possibly pre-Christian site.

St. Clydai would have been born about the middle of the fifth century, and would have been established in her 'hermitage' in the latter part of that century. People would have come to her for advice and instruction, and after her death we can imagine a small, wooden church being erected on the site in her memory. But the site was already sanctified in other ways: inside the present building are three inscribed memorial stones, which appear always to have been associated with this site and which are described fully in a booklet that is available at the Church. There are inscriptions in the ancient Celtic Ogham script.
Filming the Celtic Ogham Stones

Filming the stones in 2002 for a BBC Wales television programme - MADE BY GREEN BAY TV

Examples of the Celtic Ogham script are only found in Pembrokeshire and Ireland.
The first stone in the Church bears the inscription ‘SOLINI FILIUS VENDONI’ in debased Roman capital letters, and commemorates Solinus who was a companion of Palladius, who went on an unsuccessful missionary journey to the Scots in Ireland in 431 AD. He returned to Britain and died in 432 AD
The second stone carries the inscription ‘ETERNI FILI VICTOR’ in debased Latin capitals, and the same is written around the edge of the stone in the old Celtic Ogmic script. Eturnus was a grandson of the king of Gwynedd, Boli, who probably died in the early 7th century. This stone is made of the famous ‘Bluestone’, (spotted dolerite) which comes from Carn Menyn and has been used at Stonehenge.
The third stone has been used on more than one occasion, with inscriptions cutting through one another. However, the Latin reads ‘DOBITUCI FILIUS EVOLENG’, and commemorates Dobitucus, son of Evolengus. The Ogmic inscription reads ‘D(O)V(A)TUCEAS’. The stone has been used upside down at some point and has an equal armed cross within a circle cut into it, which cuts through some of the Ogmic script.

Two springs not far from the church give an unfailing supply of water and it is tempting to wonder whether this was a reason for St. Clydai’s choice of site for her hermitage.

The emergence of the parish

As the impetus of the Age of Saints declined, the monastic life became the most important factor of Celtic Christianity. The monasteries developed a dual role: communities worshipping God, and also serving as religious centres for the area under their control.

Their 'parochiae' (= parishes, but more equivalent to the modern conception of dioceses) which were not strictly defined, consisted of the smaller monasteries subject to the mother-house, the churches established by the founder or his disciples, and the tribes for which they were responsible. So during this period we have the picture of itinerant monks conducting services and preaching at the various religious sites established within their area. When an incumbent and a regular parish was assigned to St Clydai's church is not known.

The church building will have seen many changes, and no doubt was originally made of wood with wattle and daub. A more durable stone building probably took shape in the 13th century and would have been in the position of the present nave. It is likely that the only surviving object from the early church is the font, which may date from the 12th century. A second feature surviving from possibly as early as the 13th century is the Holy Water Stoup. This is now set in the wall just inside the main entrance. It has three flat panels with a blank on the back, but decoration on the two sides. On the right is clearly seen, a bishop wearing a mitre, but the left hand one is badly worn, and possibly shows the face of a woman. Could this be the face of St Clydai?
It seems likely that the church was enlarged in the 15th century with the provision of a south aisle. It was about 1875 that the church received its inevitable Victorian restoration. The ‘rebuilding’ was extensive, and it is now difficult to see where the old ends, and the new begins. Mediaeval stonework survives up to window height, but otherwise little can be seen of the original. The tower did survive, and a small spire was added, which has since been removed for safety reasons.
St Clydai’s is far more than an historic building, and is at the centre of a farming community in this corner of North East Pembrokeshire. The parish Clydau has an estimated population of 600, and is over 8,000 acres in extent. There are regular weekly services.
The above is from an extract from a booklet about St Clydai’s Church in Pembrokeshire by Tony Law, 1993

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