Clydog (also known as Clydawg, Clodock, Clitaucus, Cleodicus, Cladocus) was a sixth-century Welsh king of

Ergyng Ergyng (or Erging) was a Welsh kingdom of the sub-Roman and early medieval period, between the 5th and 7th centuries. It was later referred to by the English as ''Archenfield''. Location The kingdom lay mostly in what is now western Herefordshir ...

who became a saint. His feast day is traditionally held on 3 November but is also celebrated on 19 August.Calendar of the Celtic Saints of Wales
In imagery, Clydog is represented as a king holding a sword and a lily.

Life

Clydog was a member of the clan of the legendary king

Brychan Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in Mid Wales. Life According to Celtic hagiography Brychan was born in Ireland, the son of a Prince Anlach, son of Coronac, and ...

, whose children and grandchildren became the famed saints of

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlan ...

and

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 ...

. His father was Clydwyn, himself a saint and the son of Brychan. Although some sources say he conquered the whole of South Wales, which is unlikely, but it is possible that he was at one time also king of

Ceredigion Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. C ...

and

Dyfed Dyfed () is a preserved county in southwestern Wales. It is a mostly rural area with a coastline on the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel. Between 1974 and 1996, Dyfed was also the name of the area's county council and the name remains in use ...

along with his brother Dedyw. His other brothers included St Cynon and St Cynlefr the Martyr and St Berwen. As king of Ergyng he ruled over parts of Monmouthshire and

Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire ...

, known for its time of peace and justice. With his brother Dedyw he trained as a priest under

Saint Cadoc Saint Cadoc or Cadog ( lat-med, Cadocus; also Modern Welsh: Cattwg; born or before) was a 5th–6th-century Abbot of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorgan, Wales, a monastery famous from the era of the British church as a centre of lear ...

Llancarfan Llancarfan is a rural village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The village, located west of Barry and near Cowbridge, has a well-known parish church, the site of Saint Cadoc's 6th-century clas, famed for its learning. Cainnech of ...

. Following his return to Ergyng, a woman fell in love with him and refused to marry anyone else. A local Saxon noble had also fallen for the same woman. Shortly after while Clydog was hunting a deer, the Saxon shot Clydog with an arrow, killing him. His body was placed on a cart and taken to the ford of the river below the present church in

Clodock Clodock cy, Clydog is a village in the west of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Monnow in the foothills of the Black Mountains, close to the border with Wales. The village is in the civil parish of Longtown. Before 1536 Clodock w ...

, at which point the cart broke and the oxen could go no further. He was thus buried there at Caer Gledog, near

Longtown, Herefordshire Longtown is a linear village and parish in Herefordshire, England. The parish includes the village of Clodock and had a population in mid-2010 of 543, increasing to 620 at the 2011 Census. Location Longtown is located north east of Abergave ...

. Some sources label Clydog a martyr, being a Christian killed by an outsider, but this is probably a mistranslation of the word ''merthyr'' (shrine). A chapel was built above his burial which became a site of

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

. His fame spread and even several centuries later people were still being named after him, including a 12th-century Bishop of Llandaff. St Clydawg's church now covers the parish of

, which moved from Wales to England in 1535. He was married three times in total; his wives were successively Prawst, Ribrawst and Roistri.

References

{{authority control 6th-century Christian saints Medieval Welsh saints Welsh Roman Catholic saints 6th-century births Roman Catholic monks Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown