Saint Cewydd was a pre-congregational saint of

Wales in the Early Middle Ages Wales in the early Middle Ages covers the time between the Roman departure from Wales c. 383 until the end of the 10th century. In that time there was a gradual consolidation of power into increasingly hierarchical kingdoms. The end of the early ...

(6th century). He is known as the Welsh 'Rain Saint', like Medard in France,

Gildas Gildas ( Breton: ''Gweltaz''; c. 450/500 – c. 570) — also known as Gildas the Wise or ''Gildas Sapiens'' — was a 6th-century British monk best known for his scathing religious polemic ''De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae'', which recount ...

in Brittany and Swithin in England. It would appear that a pre-Christian rain day might have been associated with a date in July, when, if it rained on that day, it was believed rain would continue for forty days. Very little is known of his life due to the scarcity of records in the early Dark Ages in

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. He is known mainly from churches associated with him, which are on

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a Local government in Wales, principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strai ...

(Wales),

Lancaut Lancaut ( cy, Llan Cewydd) is a deserted village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Tidenham, in the Forest of Dean district, in Gloucestershire, England, located alongside the River Wye, around two miles north of Chepstow. It occup ...

Chepstow Chepstow ( cy, Cas-gwent) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the wester ...

(Wales/England border),

Cusop Cusop is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England that lies at the foot of Cusop Hill next to the town of Hay-on-Wye in Wales. It is a short walk from Hay, the distance between bus stops, and can be reached by walking or driving ...

(Wales/England border),

Kewstoke Kewstoke is a civil parish and village in Somerset, England, within the unitary authority of North Somerset, located next to the strip of coast called Sand Bay. Its population in the 2011 census was 1,690. History The parish was part of the Wi ...

(Somerset, England), Steynton in Rhos ( Pembrokeshire, Wales),

Aberedw Aberedw is a village and community in Radnorshire, Powys, Wales. The community covers an area of . Its population was 229, according to the 2011 census; a 4.57% increase since the 219 people noted in 2001. The 2011 census showed 4.8% of the popul ...

(Radnorshire, Wales], Disserth yn Elfael (

Radnorshire , HQ = Presteigne , Government = Radnorshire County Council (1889–1974) Radnorshire District Council (1974–1996) , Origin = , Status = historic county, administrative county , Start ...

, Wales), Llangewydd and Laleston (

Bridgend Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the medieval bridge over the River Og ...

, Wales), Capel Cewy, Mynachlogddu (Pembrokeshire, Wales). Ecclesiastical records in the

Book of Llandaff The Book of Llandaff ( la, Liber Landavensis; cy, Llyfr Llandaf, ', or '), is the chartulary of the cathedral of Llandaff, a 12th-century compilation of documents relating to the history of the diocese of Llandaff in Wales. It is written primari ...

refer to a religious establishment of ''lann ceuid'', probably at

, which is likely to have been established by 625 AD and was recorded there by 703AD.Charles Parry, A Survey of St James’s Church Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society 199
volume108
pages 53–103. His feast day is 1 July, but South Wales tradition records 15 July as Dygwyl Cewydd – Feast of St Cewydd (originally 2 July before the Julian/

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years di ...

change).

References

External links

* http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=2655 {{Authority control 6th-century Welsh people Welsh Roman Catholic saints Medieval Welsh saints Children of Brychan Year of birth unknown 6th-century Christian saints