Saint Cyngar's Church Llangefni Isle of Anglesey

The Bro Cyngar Ministry Area is a group of Anglican churches which is part of the Church in Wales in the Diocese of Bangor. The title ‘Ministry Area’ reflects the church’s understanding that ministry is the responsibility of all of God’s people. We are a group of seven congregations united together to form one parish located in the beautiful rural heart of Anglesey. It encompasses the villages of Talwrn, Llanddyfnan, Rhosmeirch, Tregaean, Llangwyllog, Llynfaes, Trefor, Gwalchmai, Bodffordd, Rhostrehwfa, and the town of Llangefni.

Our vicar, Rev. Steve Leyland heads up a Leadership Team consisting of Worship Leaders, Lay Eucharistic Minsters, Lay Readers, and retired Clergy.

The services reflect the variety of the Anglican family. Most of the churches in Bro Cyngar have either a traditional Holy Communion or Morning Prayer on a Sunday morning – although we are also starting to hold occasional family services. These are livelier, less liturgical services, with a mixture of the best traditional hymns and modern choruses. We have a midweek communion every week and a fortnightly service of Evening Prayer. Baptisms are usually held at 2:30 on Sunday afternoons.

To reflect the linguistic culture of this area, most services are fully bilingual with material printed in both languages. There are also a few services that are completely in Welsh or completely in English. The details of our service times make clear which is which.

Whichever service you choose, you will find a warm welcome from leaders and congregation alike.

Whether you are visiting, resident in the area, or just curious, we look forward to meeting you

 

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Circa – 6th century – St. Cyngar

The original cell or church was founded on this site during the 6th century by St. Cyngar (Cungar) ab Geraint who was both an abbot and a Confessor. His life story is difficult to write accurately because there was another saint by the name of Cyngar, this was St. Cyngar ab Garthog ab Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig; he was the father of St. Gwynlleu and St. Cyndern (not Kentigern). Their life stories have often been confused and mixed up into one but the version below is the latest interpretation from “Lives of the British Saints,” by S Baring-Gould and John Fisher published in 2000.

St. Cyngar

Our St. Cyngar, who was also known as Docwin and Dochau, was a son of Geraint ab Erbin, King of Domnonia (Devon and Cornwall), he was also a brother of Cador, (Duke of Cornwall), Caw, (also known as King Caw of Pictland), Selyf and St. Iestyn. His mother’s name was Gwyar and she was a daughter of Amlawdd Wledig, this means that the mother of SS. Cyngar and Iestyn, and the mother of St. Sadwrn of Llansadwrn were both sisters. St. Cyngar through his brother Selyf, was an uncle of St. Cybi, and through Cador, he was the uncle of St. Constantine, but through his brother Caw, he was also the uncle of 18 other saints such as, SS. Gildas, Eugrad, Gallgo, Peithian, Caffo (the martyr), Ceidio ab Caw, Maelog, Caian, Peirio and Samson of Caldey Island, to name but a few. One of his nieces was St. Cwyllog (Cywyllog) of Llangwyllog who was originally the wife of Medrod the traitorous nephew of King Arthur.1

St. Cyngar’s father, Geraint ab Erbin is said, in the Third or latest series of the Triads, to have been one of three Llyngesog, or fleet-owners of the Isle of Britain, each of whom formed a part of a fleet of six score ships each manned with six score men to patrol the coast against the Saxons and Irish. The enemy entered the river Parret and reached as far as Llongborth or Langport where they encountered the armies of King Arthur and Geraint ab Erbin. Geraint died in the ensuing battle, this happened some time between 475AD and 522AD. Selyf was also killed in battle at about the same time. There is a poem which appears in the Black Book of Carmarthen and also in the Red Book of Hergest, about the battle, which was written by Llywarch Hen, he wrote as an eye-witness:-

In Llongborth I saw a rage of slaughter,

And biers beyond all count,

And red-stained men from the assault of Geraint.

In Llongborth I saw the edges of blades meet

Men in terror, with blood on their pate,

Before Geraint, the great son of his father.

* * * * *

In Llongborth Geraint was slain,

A brave man from the region of Dyfnaint (Devon),

And before they were overpowered, they committed slaughter.

One conjecture locates the Battle of Llongborth in the parish of Penbryn, Cardiganshire where there is a farm called Perth Geraint.2

Some sources say that Cyngar was born in Llanwngar, near to St. David’s, other sources say it was in south west England i.e. Devon or Cornwall. In his early life, he left home and embarked on a monastic life living and working in south west England before settling in what is now Somerset where he founded a monastery at Congresbury on the river Yeo, this would be where he acquired the status of abbot. It may also be where he was accredited with turning marsh land into good agricultural land. This abbey was later destroyed probably by the Saxons but re-established in 711AD by King Ina who dedicated it to the Holy Trinity.

From there he moved to Morganwg,3 an ancient kingdom in South Wales where, under the name of Dochau, he founded two churches at Llandocha Fawr (near Cardiff) and Llandocha Fach (near Cowbridge), these are now known as Llandough. He must have travelled more widely than his life story mentions because there are other dedications to St. Cyngar, there is one at Badgworth also in Somerset, there was a Chapel and Holy Well dedicated to him at Lanivet in Cornwall, also at Kewe in Cornwall there is a dedication to him under the name of Docwin. He is also the patron of the parish of Hope in Flintshire formerly known as Llangyngar or Plwyf Cyngar. It is not known in what order these churches were founded.

As an old man, St. Cyngar finally became associated with his nephew St. Cybi. When St. Cybi was obliged to leave South Wales (see write-up on St. Cybi’s Church, Holyhead), he took his ageing uncle Cyngar with him along with nine other disciples to Ireland, and amongst this group were SS. Maelog, Peulan, Caffo and Llibio. His journey was to the island of Aran mor (Inishmor) on the west coast of Ireland where he met up with his former friend, St. Enda.

Enda had obtained a grant of the island, no earlier than 486AD from Aengus MacNadfraich, King of Munster whose first wife was Dairini, a sister of Enda. St. Cybi remained in Aran with his disciples for four years. His uncle Cyngar was now so frail he could not eat solid food, so Cybi bought a cow and its calf to provide milk for Cyngar’s diet. Maelog had cultivated a patch of land close to the cell of another monk named Fintan the Priest (Crubthir or Cruimther). This led to an angry altercation as Fintan considered it to be an encroachment onto his land. Enda was called upon to adjudicate but the grievance continued on in Fintan’s mind. When Cyngar’s calf strayed into Fintan’s meadow he impounded it and tied it to a tree. This resulted in a lack of milk for Cyngar to drink such that it started to affect his health. After Cyngar prayed to God for help, the calf managed to pull up the tree and return to its mother dragging it with him. Moreover, when Maelog started digging the ground outside the door of Fintan’s cell, Finton in a rage prayed to God that Cybi should be driven out of the island. Cybi was warned by a peace loving angel to leave the island as the quarrel was going to get worse as long as these two saints were close together on such a confined island. Before Cybi left, he prayed to God to remove Crubthir Fintan out of the island, the “Life of St. Endeus” (Enda), confirms these squabbles and puts the cause down to the way Enda had divided up this small island.

Cybi moved to Meath with his disciples where he fasted for 40 days and nights in order to secure the area as a foundation for himself, the place was Mochop i.e. Kilmore of St. Mochop, near Artaine. Fintan pursued him and on the basis that the land belonged to him, he managed to drive Cybi away. Cybi then went to Magh-Bregh in Kildare but was allowed to remain for only seven days before Fintan found him and drove him out. Again Cybi had to move with his uncle and his disciples to Vobvun or Uobiun where he stayed for two weeks before he was again driven out by Fintan.

Cybi bade his disciples to cut down timber to make a boat by which they could leave Ireland, Fintan even prevented them from getting hides with which to cover it and make it waterproof, such was the local resentment that Fintan had managed to raise against Cybi. This was a gross insult as it was a form of punishment to great criminals to commit them to sea in a coracle with only one covering of hide. Before Cybi left Ireland he again cursed Fintan that all his churches be deserted. His boat was probably made of planks and ribs, his crossing in such a boat with his disciples and his old and infirm uncle Cyngar back to Wales where it ran onto rocks probably on the Lleyn Peninsula, is considered to be miraculous.

At the southern end of Black Rock Sands near Morfa Bychan at the mouth of the Afon Glaslyn, lies a rocky hill known as Ynys Cyngar SH553365. In the 6th century, just like Ynys on the south side of the river, this would have been a true island but today, due to sand drift, it is connected to the mainland by sand dunes as is the case at Ynys. There is now a private holiday cottage at Ynys Cyngar known as “The Powder House,” it was here that dangerous ingredients for the gunpowder factory at Gwaith Powdur were unloaded rather than allowing

Tabletthese dangerous cargoes into the port of Porthmadog. There was once a plaque on the wall of the Powder House commemorating the fact that St. Cyngar once lived on this site. The plaque is presently in the house and the owner intends to refit the plaque on the wall. The inscription on the slate plaque which measures 26ins. by 18ins. by 3ins. reads:-

This may be the spot, or near to, where St. Cybi and his disciples landed on their return from Ireland. There is a present church of St. Cyngar at Borth-y-Gest nearby at SH565373, but this was a new build, constructed in 1912 on new land and did not replace any previous church. It is therefore likely that St. Cyngar’s Cell on Ynys Cyngar may never have developed into a permanent church. There was at one time a spring near to the house but this has now disappeared.

Whilst on the Lleyn Peninsula, St. Cybi founded another church nearby at Cyndaf which is probably Llangybi near to Pwllheli. When Maelgwn, King of Gwynedd was hunting in the area, a goat he was pursuing found refuge with St. Cybi. Maelgwn demanded the goat’s return, but Cybi was able to negotiate an area of land in return for the beast. A later controversy arose between Maelgwn and Cybi about having Caffo with him; Caffo was the brother of Gildas who had grossly insulted him in his recent book. Caffo therefore left the group for Rhosyr (Newborough) where he was eventually murdered by the shepherds. It is believed that in appeasement for the death of Caffo, Maelgwn Gwynedd granted Cybi the fortress on Anglesey, Caer Gybi (Holyhead) where Cybi founded his final church with his disciples; Maelgwn Gwynedd is also regarded as its co-founder and endowerer.

It is the ‘Clas’ (a cross between a college and a monastery) at Holyhead that St. Cybi is best remembered for. St. Cybi died on 8 November, certainly after 547AD, the date of Maelgwn’s disease, the yellow plague; it is believed to have been 554AD at the age of 84. He left behind a legacy of the Celtic Clas which controlled most of west Anglesey until the Reformation. St. Enda who was slightly his senior died in about 540AD, St. Cyngar would have been about 90. St. Llibio founded the church at Llanllibio on Anglesey; St. Peulan founded the church at Llanbeulan, Maelog the church at Llanfaelog, Cyngar founded this church at Llangefni, Caffo having already founded a church at Llangaffo. Whether St. Mochop was a disciple of Cybi is not known. It is not possible to determine the identity of Cybi’s adversary Crubthir Fintan but he certainly left behind no cult in Ireland.

It is said that when St. Cyngar came to the area of Llangefni, he would have been an extremely old man. It is therefore likely that by then, his brother St. Iestyn would have already been established at Llaniestyn near Llandonna. His nephews and nieces may also have had their churches established by then i.e. SS. Gallgo at Llanallgo, St. Eugrad at Llaneugrad and their sister Piethian who had a cell between their two churches, Ceidio ab Caw at Rhodogeidio near Llanerchymedd, Maelog at Llanfaelog, Caian at Tregaian, Peirio at Rhosbeirio, and Cwyllog at Llangwyllog. St. Caffo of Llangaffo may have already been martyred by that time.

It is believed that St. Cyngar may not have stayed for very long in Anglesey, whether he had to leave because of unpleasantness caused by the publication of the letter of Gildas his nephew, with its attack on Maelgwn is not known. He is said to have started on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, some reports say that he died whilst in Jerusalem and his body was brought back to Congresbury where he was buried. Other reports say he died at St. Congard, in Morbihan in Brittany on his way to Jerusalem. More than 12 Welsh Calendars quote St. Cyngar’s Feast Day as being on the 7th November.

Very close to the church in a wooded valley known locally as “The Dingle,” can be seen St. Cyngar’s Well, SH458758. This is a natural cavity at the base of a rock face with a stone wall structure built up on two sides. The water stands to a depth of several inches.

LayoutThe present church was completely rebuilt in 1824 and consists of a nave, chancel, north vestry and west tower and porch. The church was lengthened in 1889 when the chancel was added. The following year 1890 saw the addition of the arched gateway. There are only two items remaining from the original structure, these being the stonework of the west doorway which was reset into the new building, this dates from the 15th century, and a stone stoup for holy water which was preserved from the old church and built into the south wall of the porch. Although the stained glass windows on the east and south walls are 19th century, they are of a particularly fine quality. The east window depicts Jesus as the Good Shepherd with the Apostles, James and John.

There are three bells in the Belfry which were made by Blems and Sons of Birmingham in 1868. The modern font consists of a marble bowl in an octagonal stone receptacle and was presented to the church in 1964. In the porch can be seen the original 12th century font, this is a tapering cylindrical bowl 17 1/2ins high by 22ins diameter and has a fillet round the rim on which is a band of irregular chevrons. There is also a bronze sundial in the porch which is dated 1673 and is inscribed Rich. Williams, Rich. Hughes, Wardens, Llangefni, along with an oak chest dating from 1811. There are several memorials in the church, the oldest of these is dated 1760.

The stone of Culidorus was discovered underneath the foundations of the old church of St. Cyngar in Llangefni when it was demolished in 1824 in order to build the larger present church. At the present time, it is not known for certain who Culidorus was but there is the possibility that he may have been an early Christian Priest possibly from the Roman Christian Church of Britain especially as the stone was originally found inside the church.

The stone is a crude slab of granite and measures 4ft 3ins x 2ft 8 ½ins x 6ins and it is believed that the Latin inscription would have been engraved using a “poking tool”. The whole inscription is encased in a border which is single at the base but at the top of the stone, there are two horizontal lines with a zigzag pattern in between each and this represents a rare example of decoration Inscriptionfor a stone of this kind. The stone was found in a mutilated condition and as a result of this, only a part of the inscription can be easily read.