Llangadwaladr () is a small village in south-west

Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...

, Wales, located around 2 miles east of

Aberffraw Aberffraw is a village and community (Wales), community on the south west coast of the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. The village is 9 miles from the island's county town, Llangefni, and is on the west bank of the Afon Ffraw (Ffraw River). The com ...

and 3 miles south of Gwalchmai. It is part of the

community A community is a social unit (a group of people) with a shared socially-significant characteristic, such as place, set of norms, culture, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given g ...

of Bodorgan.

Early medieval Kings

The '' Catamanus stone'' has been present in Llangadwaladr since the 7th century. The village is a short distance from the ancient ''llys'' () of the kings of Gwynedd, and is reputed to have been their royal burial ground. The inscription on one monumental stone in the St. Cadwaladr's Church (pictured) reads "Catamanus rex sapientisimus opinatisimus omnium regum" (), suggesting that Cadfan ap Iago (c. 569 – c. 625?) King of Gwynedd, is buried there. One of the windows of St

Cadwaladr Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon (also spelled Cadwalader or Cadwallader in English) was king of Gwynedd in Wales from around 655 to 664 or 682. He died in one of two devastating plagues that happened in 664 and in 682. Little else is known of his reig ...

's church dates from the 12th century. Unusually, the

advowson Advowson () or patronage is the right in English law of a patron (avowee) to present to the diocesan bishop (or in some cases the ordinary if not the same person) a nominee for appointment to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a ...

(right of presentation) of the

benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...

lay with the monarch rather than the bishop, until Disestablishment (1920). The inscription is the subject of a "detective story" that interprets it as containing a series of coded messages, insulting to the deceased king.Whispering Reeds, or, The Anglesey Catamanus Inscription Stript Bare. A detective story by Antony Charles Thomas. Oxbow Books 2002.

Notable people

* Owen ap Hugh (1518–1613), of Bodeon, near Llangadwaladr, was a Welsh politician. * Eryl Stephen Thomas (1910–2001), bishop of Monmouth and subsequently of Llandaff was born in this parish.

References

Villages in Anglesey Bodorgan {{Anglesey-geo-stub