EXCERPTS from book "King Arthur King of Glamorgan & Gwent", by Alan Wilson and Baram Blackett & "King Arthur the War King", by Alan Wilson and Baram Blackett.
Do you know the story of Clydawg? Let´s find out!
In the novel King Arthur the War King, (by Wilson & Blackett), Maurice (father of Arthur II) asks Clydawg not to marry Lady Imogene (irish Guinner's widow), otherwise there is a risk of Cornwall being conquered by Clydawg or his sons. Maurice (King Meurig) does not want Clydawg conquering Cornwall under any circumstances. You remember? Cornwall was occupied by the Irishman Guinner. Imogene was Guinner's wife. These people are often confused with Igraine and Gorlois. But in truth it is Guinner of Ireland and his wife Imogene. Tewdrig killed Guinner, so Meurig killed Clydawg. After Clydawg's assassination, Maurice built a church over Clydawg's grave. Another quote from book King Arthur of Glamorgan & Gwent: "The church area is however important to our story in another way, for Clydawg was a sub- King under the sway of Theoderic (Tewdrig). We have seen how Theoderic crushed Guinner the treacherous ruler of Cornwall (Tintagel) and then destroyed his invading Irish allies. In this way Theoderic now owned and controlled Cornwall as well as the lands of the Silures. There is then a legend to consider, for THE FOLK TALES TELL OF HOW UTHER PENDRAGON WENT TO CORNWALL AND SEDUCED THE WIFE OF GORLOIS AND HIS KINSMEN AND FROM THIS UNION WAS BORN ARTHUR. Well, THE STORY IS CORRUPTED, FOR GORLOIS WAS GUINNER AND HE WAS NO LOYAL DUKE, BUT A TREACHEROUS VILLAIN AND THE PENDRAGON WHO WENT AGAINST HIM DID NOT SEDUCE HIS WIFE AND WITHDRAW, THAT PENDRAGON WAS THEODERIC (TEWDRIG.... Arthur II´s grandfather!) WHO SLAUGHTERED GUINNER AND TOOK ALL HE OWNED. This brings us to the wife of the dead GUINNER who would be part of Theoderic´s booty and here we have the very essence of the story, for here in the territory of SILURIAN MORGANWG IS THE CLUE. In the church of Clydawg a memorial stone was dug up in the restauration of 1916 to 1919 made of local red sandstone. The translation reads something like this: "THIS TOMB HAS THE REMAINS OF THAT FAITHFUL WOMAN THE DEAR WIFE OF GUINNDA WHO HERSELF WAS RESIDENT IN THIS PLACE." (Page 97, book King Arthur King of Glamorgan & Gwent by Alan Wilson & Baram Blackett). Clydawg was of mixed Welsh - Irish royal parentage, his father being King Cledwyn of Ewias, and his maternal grandfather is said to be a King Glywys of Brecon. There was a bother named Dedyw and both King Clydawg and Dedyw were very strongly influenced by the Bishop (later Saint) Cadog or Cadoc. So King Clydawg was regarded as a good and holy man, but he still had enemies. ......... A shrine was built and the whole plan worked beautifully with MERTHYR CLYDAWG - the MARTYR CLYDAWG - becoming a pilgrimage attraction." (Page 96/97, King Arthur King of Glamorgan & Gwent by Wilson & Blackett)