Clynnog Fawr
Encyclopedia
Clynnog Fawr, often simply called "Clynnog", is a village
on the north coast of the Llŷn peninsula
in Gwynedd
, north-west Wales
.
Clynnog Fawr lies on the A499 road between Caernarfon
and Pwllheli
, at . It had a population
of 130 in 1991. The main feature of the village is the parish church
, dedicated to Saint
Beuno
, which is much larger than would be expected in a village of Clynnog's size. The site is said to be that of a Celtic
monastery
founded by Beuno in the early 7th century. Clynnog means 'the place of the holly-trees' (compare Breton Quelneuc
(Kelenneg), Gaelic Cuilneach). It developed into an important foundation and some Welsh law
manuscripts specify that the Abbot of Clynnog was entitled to a seat at the court of the king of Gwynedd
. The church is recorded as being burnt in 978 by the Vikings and later burnt again by the Normans
. By the end of the 15th century it was a collegiate church, one of only six in Wales. The church was an important stopping place for pilgrim
s heading for Bardsey Island
and contains Cyff Beuno, an ancient wooden chest hollowed out of a single piece of ash and used to keep alms donated by those on pilgrimage
s. "Maen Beuno" or Beuno's Stone has markings reputed to be those of Beuno's fingers. Outside in the churchyard there is a sundial
dated between the late 10th century and the early 12th century.
Clynnog is strategically sited at the northern end of a pass connecting the northern and southern coasts of the Lleyn peninsula, and the area has been the site of a number of battles, including the Battle of Bron yr Erw in 1075 when Gruffudd ap Cynan's first bid to become king of Gwynedd was defeated by Trahaearn ap Caradog
and the Battle of Bryn Derwin
in 1255 when Llywelyn the Last
defeated his brothers Owain
and Dafydd
to become sole ruler of Gwynedd.
Other famous people from Clynnog include Morus Clynnog, Emrys Wyn Evans and Saint John Jones
, all prominent Welsh Catholic
s in the 16th century.
Clynnog is covered by a Neighbourhood Policing Team based in the nearby village of Penygroes.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
on the north coast of the Llŷn peninsula
Llyn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula extends into the Irish Sea from north west Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the modern county and historic region of Gwynedd. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root Laigin in Irish as the word Leinster...
in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, north-west Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
and Pwllheli
Pwllheli
Pwllheli is a community and the main market town of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales. It has a population of 3,861, of which a large proportion, 81 per cent, are Welsh speaking. Pwllheli is the place where Plaid Cymru was founded. It is the birthplace of Albert Evans-Jones -...
, at . It had a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 130 in 1991. The main feature of the village is the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, dedicated to Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Beuno
Beuno
Saint Beuno was a 7th-century Welsh holy man and Abbot of Clynnog Fawr in Gwynedd, on the Llŷn peninsula.-Life:Beuno was born in Powys, supposedly at Berriew, the grandson of a prince of that realm. After education and ordination in the monastery of Bangor-on-Dee in north-east Wales, he became an...
, which is much larger than would be expected in a village of Clynnog's size. The site is said to be that of a Celtic
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
founded by Beuno in the early 7th century. Clynnog means 'the place of the holly-trees' (compare Breton Quelneuc
Quelneuc
Quelneuc is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-References:* * -External links:* * *...
(Kelenneg), Gaelic Cuilneach). It developed into an important foundation and some Welsh law
Welsh law
Welsh law was the system of law practised in Wales before the 16th century. According to tradition it was first codified by Hywel Dda during the period between 942 and 950 when he was king of most of Wales; as such it is usually called Cyfraith Hywel, the Law of Hywel, in Welsh...
manuscripts specify that the Abbot of Clynnog was entitled to a seat at the court of the king of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
. The church is recorded as being burnt in 978 by the Vikings and later burnt again by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
. By the end of the 15th century it was a collegiate church, one of only six in Wales. The church was an important stopping place for pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s heading for Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island , the legendary "Island of 20,000 saints", lies off the Llŷn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The Welsh name means "The Island in the Currents", although its English name refers to the "Island of the Bards", or possibly the island of the Viking chieftan, "Barda". It is ...
and contains Cyff Beuno, an ancient wooden chest hollowed out of a single piece of ash and used to keep alms donated by those on pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
s. "Maen Beuno" or Beuno's Stone has markings reputed to be those of Beuno's fingers. Outside in the churchyard there is a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
dated between the late 10th century and the early 12th century.
Clynnog is strategically sited at the northern end of a pass connecting the northern and southern coasts of the Lleyn peninsula, and the area has been the site of a number of battles, including the Battle of Bron yr Erw in 1075 when Gruffudd ap Cynan's first bid to become king of Gwynedd was defeated by Trahaearn ap Caradog
Trahaearn ap Caradog
- Accession:On the death of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn in 1075, it appears that none of his sons were old enough to claim the throne, and Bleddyn's cousin Trahaearn ap Caradog, seized power...
and the Battle of Bryn Derwin
Battle of Bryn Derwin
The Battle of Bryn Derwin was fought in Eifionydd in Gwynedd in June 1255, between Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and his brothers, Dafydd ap Gruffudd and Owain Goch ap Gruffydd....
in 1255 when Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd or Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf , sometimes rendered as Llywelyn II, was the last prince of an independent Wales before its conquest by Edward I of England....
defeated his brothers Owain
Owain Goch ap Gruffydd
Owain ap Gruffudd, , , was brother to Llywelyn the Last and Dafydd ap Gruffudd and, for a brief period in the late 1240s and early 1250s, ruler of part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd .- Lineage :Owain was the eldest son of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and the grandson of Llywelyn the Great...
and Dafydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 by King Edward I of England...
to become sole ruler of Gwynedd.
Other famous people from Clynnog include Morus Clynnog, Emrys Wyn Evans and Saint John Jones
Saint John Jones
Saint John Jones, O.F.M.,, also known as John Buckley, John Griffith, or Godfrey Maurice, was a Franciscan friar, Catholic priest and martyr. He was born at Clynnog Fawr, Caernarfonshire , Wales and executed 12 July 1598...
, all prominent Welsh Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s in the 16th century.
Clynnog is covered by a Neighbourhood Policing Team based in the nearby village of Penygroes.