St Illtud was one of the most famous scholar-saints in pre-Norman Wales and throughout Medieval Britain, having founded a renowned monastery and school of divinity in Wales during the 6th century. St Illtud was devoted to spreading the teachings of Christianity, and for centuries his monastery was the epicenter of Celtic Christianity in Sub-Roman Britain.
The school could boast more than a thousand students at its height, and among the most famous of the monastery’s reported pupils were Saint David of Wales, Saint Patrick of Ireland, Paul Aurelian, Taliesin, Gildas the Historian, and Samson of Dol. Later Welsh saints, such as St Caradoc, would claim to be intellectual and spiritual descendants of St Illtud’s, basing their own ministries on the model of education and good works set by Illtud. The saint was so popular that the English wished to claim him as well, and his name appears (as Illtuta) on the list of Great Archbishops of London in John Stow’s 1603 work The Annales of England.
St Illtud built his monastic school on the remains of Cor Tewdws, a 4th century Roman college located in Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major), only a few miles away from where I live in the Welsh county of Glamorgan. When the Norman’s invaded southern Wales in the 11th century, they built St Illtud’s Church on the grounds of the ancient school. The church was expanded in the 13th century, then rebuilt extensively in the 15th century, and is still in use today, making it “a site where Christ has been worshipped for over 1,500 years without a break.”
The church, an architectural treasure in and of itself, also has other offerings to show its visitors, including:
These amazing reredos, made of stone brought from Portland and the Mendips, surround the altar of the East Church.
The original reredos and statues with more obviously Catholic images were destroyed during the Reformation, but whenever historians or archeologists find them on the grounds or in other parts of the church, they are restored, as was this medieval image of the Virgin and Child.
In the Lady Chapel of the East Church is a rare 13th century carved stone Jesse Niche depicting the linage of Jesus rising in branches from the recumbent Jesse, father of King David, at the base.
In front of the niche a medieval altar. When Queen Elizabeth I ordered the removal of altars in 1559, it was repurposed as a gravestone for Kathryn Thomas of the Hame before being restored to the church in 1992.
There is also the original Norman baptismal font carved from Sutton stone (probably quarried nearby, around Bridgend) in a scale pattern stands at the front of the church.
I was fascinated by the remarkable medieval effigies, the oldest of which is inscribed “Let no the stone be trodden on; let her who lied beneath be protected.” However, a tonsured head (indicating a priest was interred there) was added later, probably in the 12th or 13th century. Who was the original ‘her’ that lay underneath the Celtic carvings? Ancient mystic or saint whose name was forgotten? A female scholar, whose name was deliberately eschewed by history?
The second oldest effigy bears an inscription in Norman French naming him as William de Rag, but his 14th century clothing predates the Raglan family moving into the area. His clothing indicates William de Rag was a doctor of law of oxford or Cambridge, but no one knows why he was in Llantwit major or why he was buried in St Illtud’s church. Was he a local who did well for himself at the major universities and who wanted to be returned home for his final rest?
The final medieval effigy is the least mysterious, and is probably that of Joan Hopkins, wife of Richard Hopkins, a manor house official in the area in the last decades of the 1500s. She probably passed away in 1580, and the bust of an infant near her shoulder indicates she died (as so many women did) in childbirth.
Although a lot of church murals were painted over with limewash by Reformation zealots who feared pretty things would corrupt your soul via idolatry, some of St Illtud’s have been recovered. On the north wall of the East Church is a faded painting of St Christopher carrying the Virgin and Holy Infant across a river to safety.
In 1604 the monarchial coat of arms was added near to St Christopher, along with the inscription “God Save King James”.
On the north wall of the chancel is a 13th century painting of Mary Magdalene holding the cup of precious oils she used to anoint Christ.
Behind the modern rood (created by artist Alan Durst in 1954) is the remains of a 15 century rood mural, which still evince the symbols and colors of the Passion – such as the green cross.
It is a beautiful church to visit, and a historical feast for the eyes.
Best of all (in my opinion) are the Celtic Christian stones on display in the Galilee Chapel. The Houelt Cross (in the middle) is a memorial Celtic wheel cross dedicated to Rhys, father of Houelt ap Rhys (Hywel ap Rhys), Prince of Glywysing (modern Glamorgan) in the 9th century. it is flanked by the Samson Cross (on the left) and the Samson Pillar (on the right) carved with “a long inscription, now badly eroded, referring to Samson the Abbot (identity unknown), Artmail (another abbot) and Ithel, a 9th century king of Gwent.”
The Galilee Chapel also housed a cross-shaft from the 9th century that is considered one of the best existing examples of Welsh Quarella stone Celtic carvings.
Seriously, if you get a chance, visit this amazing place.
St Illtud’s influence shows in many ways in Wales. The place names of many towns and villages include the root words llan (church enclosure) Illtud in them. For instance, there are the villages of Llantrithyd, Llantwit Fardre, Llantrisant, Llanelltyd, and the original place names of Llantwit Gower (Llanilltud Gŵyr) and Llantwit Major (Llanilltud Fawr). There are also multiple churches dedicated to him throughout Wales, and many in Brittany, where legend has it he brought food to the people to save them from famine.
St Illtud is traditionally claimed to be buried near Brecon, either in the now-destroyed Church of Llanilltud (Capel Illtud) on Mynydd Illtud (Illtud’s Mountian) or in the megalithic burial chamber called Bedd Gwyl Illtyd (Grave of St. Illtud) or Ty Illtud (Illtud’s Home). Another tradtion calims he died in Brittany, and is buried near Dol.