belonging to Robert Vaughan of Hengwrt; but it is added, "Llannano is the name in the neighbourhood." The Saint is classed by Rees among those of uncertain date. The Festival of S. Anno, May 20, is entered in the calendars in the Iolo MSS. and Peniarth MS. 187, and in some calendars of the eighteenth century. S. ANNUN, or ANHUN, Virgin ANNUN, or Anhun, lived in the fifth century, and was the handmaid (llawforwyn) of S. Madrun, daughter of Gwrthefyr Fendigaid, or Vortimer, and wife of Ynyr Gwent.2 In the Iolo MSS. her name is misspelt Annan. 3 In conjunction with her mistress she is said to have founded the church of Trawsfynydd, in Merionethshire. The following is the legend told about its foundation. Madrun, accompanied by her maid Anhun, was making a pilgrimage to Bardsey, and reaching the place now called Trawsfynydd at dusk, very tired, rested themselves for the night under shelter of a thicket. In their sleep they both dreamt that they heard a voice calling to them, "Adeiledwch Eglwys yma" (Build here a church). In the morning when they awoke, the one told her dream to the other, and they were greatly astonished to find that they had both dreamt the same dream. They, thereupon, in obedience to the supernatural command, built the church, which was afterwards dedicated in their honour.5 Browne Willis, however, gives the church of Trawsfynydd as dedicated to S. Madrun alone, with festival on June 9. Annun, or Anhun, was also a man's name. The name is derived from Antonius or Antonia. 1 Welsh Saints, p. 306. 428. Hafod MS. 16, Peniarth MS. 76 (sixteenth century), Myv. Arch., pp. 418, 3 P. 145. 4 Rees, Welsh Saints, p. 164. Enwogion Cymru, p. 25 (Liverpool, 1870). S. ANNUN DDU, see S. AMWN DDU S. ARANWEN, Matron S. ARANWEN was one of the numerous daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog. Rees 2 thinks that she was probably a granddaughter of his. She was the wife of Iorwerth Hirflawdd, son of Tegonwy ab Teon, of the line of Beli Mawr, King of Britain.3 Iorwerth is, in the Vespasian Cognation, said to have been "King of Powys, thence called Iorwerthion." S. Aranwen is said to have been mother of Caenog Mawr, from whom are supposed to be derived the parish name Clocaenog, and Caenog and Esgyn Gaenog in Gwyddelwern, in the county of Denbigh; but this is not correct. Caenog was her brother-in-law.5 There are no churches dedicated to her, nor does her name appear in the Calendars. 4 S. ARDDUN BENASGELL, Matron S. ARDDUN, who usually bears the epithet Penasgell, that is, "Wingheaded." lived in the sixth century, and was a daughter of S. Pabo Post Prydain (or rather, Prydyn, "Pictland "), a king in the North, who, on losing his territory in wars with the Gwyddyl Ffichti, or Goidelic Picts, retired to Wales, where he was well received by Cyngen ab Cadell Deyrnllwg, Prince of Powys, from whom, as well as from his son Brochwel Ysgythrog, he received grants of land. Arddun had as brothers SS. Dunawd and Sawyl Benisel. She married Brochwel Ysgythrog, Prince of Powys, to whom she bore, among other children, S. Tyssilio. She is included in late catalogues only of the Welsh Saints, 1 Cognatio in Cott. Vesp. A. xiv, and Cott. Dom. i; Jesus Coll. MS. 20; Iolo MSS., pp. 111, 121, 140; Myv. Arch., pp. 417, 419. In the Domitian Cogn. she is entered as Arganwen apud Powis," and in the Jesus MS. as Wrgrgen (sic) gwreic Ioroerth hirblant." 2 Welsh Saints, p. 146. 3 Pedigrees in Mostyn MS. 117 (thirteenth century). 4 Myv. Arch., p. 417. " 5 Mostyn MS., already referred to. Iolo MSS., pp. 109, 126; Myv. Arch., pp. 417, 431. but no churches are attached to her name, though the Cambrian Biography1 says some Welsh churches are dedicated to her." Dolarddun, an old manor house in the parish of Castle Caereinion, Montgomeryshire, is believed to be called after her. There was another Arddun, the wife of Cadgor ab Gorslwyn, and also a Ceindrych "Benasgell." But, indeed, other women in all ages have a claim to be called wingheaded or flighty. S. ARIANELL, Virgin ARIANELL, or Arganhell, was a daughter of Guidgentivai, a man of royal family, probably in Gwent; she was possessed by an evil spirit, in other words, was deranged. She had to be kept in bonds to be preserved from throwing herself into the river or into the fire, and from biting and tearing her clothes and all about her. The father appealed to S. Dubricius, who cast forth the evil spirit and restored the girl to soundness in the presence of her father and relatives. When thus recovered, she devoted herself to religion under the supervision of the saint, and remained a virgin consecrated to God until her death.3 There was a stream of the name that had its rise in S. Maughan's parish, Monmouthshire, and is mentioned in the Book of Llan Dâv as forming the bounds on one side of the territory of Lann Tipallai, which the editors of the Book of Llan Dâv suppose to be the Parsonage Farm, west of S. Maughan. But the grant made was to Dubricius by Britcon Hail, and no mention is made in it of the damsel Arganhell, so that we cannot be sure that this was the site of the place of monastic retreat of the saintly maiden. The stream Arganhell is apparently that which rises near Newcastle (Castell Meirch) and runs nearly due west to east, keeping north of S. Maughan's Church, and empties into the Monnow. It has lost its ancient name. The other brook that flows into the Trothy passing through Hendre Park retains its name, Bawddwr. 1 P. 11 (1803). 3 " 2 Myv. Arch., p. 417. Quae in tantum vexabatur quod vix funibus cum ligatis manibus poterat retineri quin mergeretur flumine quin comburetur igne, quin consumeret omnia sibi adherentia dentibus." Book of Llan Dáv, pp. 82-3. 4 Ibid., pp. 75, 372; cf. p. 173. 5 Ibid., p. 171. S. ARIANWEN, see S. ARANWEN S. ARILDA, Virgin, Martyr THIS Saint is noticed in a Martyrology in the British Museum, A.D. 1220-4, MS. Reg. A. xiii, as honoured at Gloucester Abbey. In an old poem on this Abbey, printed at the end of Hearne's edition of Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, are these lines : Thes wonderfull workes wrought by power divine, Be not hid, nor palliat, but flourish daylie As whosoe list to looke may find in hir Legion. The place of her martyrdom was Kington by Thornbury in Gloucestershire. Both the period to which she belonged and the stock, whether English or British, are unknown. "In englonde at glocester Whytford gives as her day, July 20. the feest of saynt Aryld a virgyn and martyr.' S. ARTHEN, Confessor S. ARTHEN, or Arthan, was one of the sons of Brychan Brycheiniog, and his name in the Cognatio and most lists occurs as the fourth son.1 In the Domitian Cognatio he is entered, " Arthen qui erat pater Kynon qui est in Manan." There was a church once dedicated to him in Gwynllywg, but "was destroyed by the Pagan English," and he was buried in "2 Manaw." This church was no doubt the extinct Llanarthen, near Marshfield, Monmouthshire. Rhiw Arthen, near Aberystwyth, is supposed to have been called after him, but with greater probability after Arthen (or Arthgen), "King of Ceredigion," who died in 807.3 " 1 Iolo MSS., pp. 108, 111, 119, 140; Myv. Arch., pp. 417, 419. 2 See the same references. Nicolas Roscarrock says that he was a saint in the Isle of Man; this was due to his supposing that Manaw stood for that island, but there was a Manaw Gododin in North Britain. Annales Cambriæ, p. 11. Possibly his name is perpetuated in the Brecknockshire hill-name Cefn Arthen, within his father's territory. As to his name, the vocable arthan (common gender) means a bear's whelp, arthen being the feminine form of the same. His name under the form Arthan occurs in one list only. S. ARTHFODDW, Confessor ARTHBODU, hodie Arthfoddw, was one of the disciples of S. Dyfrig at Hentland, and may be also at Mochros, or Moccas, in Herefordshire.1 He was the founder of Lann Arthbodu, in Gower, possibly the Pennard (S. Mary) of to-day. It was merely a cell. There was an Artbodgu, the son of Bodgu, who in the old Welsh genealogies of Harleian MS. 3859 is given as fifth in descent from Cunedda Wledig.3 S. ARTHMAEL, or ARTHFAEL, Abbot, Confessor On the Cross at Llantwit is the inscription testifying that Samson the Abbot made the cross for his own soul and for those of Iuthael the king and Artmail or Arthmael. It has been supposed that the cross is of later date than the sixth century, and that it was not erected by S. Samson to the memory of King Iuthael and his companion Arthmael, but at a time posterior, and that the Iuthael and Arthmael thereon named belonged to this later date, and to the house of Morganwg; moreover the style of decoration supports this view. The coincidence of names at two periods is remarkable, for S. Samson's great work was the restoration of the princely line in Domnonia, the placing of Iuthael on the throne in 555, and Arthmael was his great helper in the work. The authorities for the Life of S. Arthmael are these:-The Lections in the Breviary of Rennes, fifteenth cent., that of Léon, 1516, the Breviary of S. Malo, 1537, and that of Vannes, 1589. The original in the 1 Book of Llan Dáv, p. 80. 2 Ibid., p. 144; Col. Morgan, Antiquarian Survey of East Gower, 1899, p. 202. 3 Y Cymmrodor, ix, p. 181. |