Santes Dwynwen Santes Cariadon Cymru

Curriculum (English/Welsh) Reading Skills - Retreive and collate information and ideas from a range of sources. Writing Skills - Chose and use a range of appropriate vocabulary. Writing Skills - Present writing appropriately. Curriculum Cymreig - Awareness of own heritage and culture.

Key Compentancies Thinking (Plan) - Gathering information on Santes Dwynwen from different resources. Thinking (Plan) - Determine Success Criteria for creating Powerpoint Presentation. Communication (Oracy) - Communicate effectively in a way that is suitable to the audience. Pupils presented the information to different classes around the school. Communication (Writing) - Creating information on a presentation in a clear and defined way, using a range of language. ICT - Create and present ideas using a range of text and images.

Llanddwyn is one of the prettiest places on Angelsey in North Wales. It is there that the foundations of Santes Dwynwen’s Church lies. Santes Dwynwen is the Welsh saint of love and we celebrate Santes Dwynwen day on January 25th every year.

Dwynweb was born in the fifth century - about 1500 years ago. She was a princess and daughter to the King Brychan. Her father wanted to chose a prince for her to marry. A feast was arranged in the King’s Court and all important people were invited. Here is a picture of the King Brychan Brycheiniog.

Dwynwen wore her prettiest dress and she was the prettiest at the feast. A young prince called Maelon Dafodrill came to the feast. Maelon and Dwynwen fell in love straight away.

Maelon wanted the two to marry but Brychan refused because he wanted Dwynwen to marry someone much uglier and older than Maelon.

Maelon asked Ddwynwen to run away but even though she loved him she refused. She did not want to marry anyone!

One evening, Dwynwen went into the forrest. She prayed to God to free her of her love. She fell asleep under the branches of the tree and dreamt. In the dream she saw Maellon.

She also saw an angel holding a cup. Drink from this cup." said the angel. She drank. In the dream Maelon drank from the cup too and as soon as he drunk, he turned to ice.

Dwynwen received three wished from the angel. Firstly she asked for Maelon to be turned back into a man again.

Secondly, she wished to be Wales’ Saint of Love.

Thirdly she chose not to fall in love with anyone else whilst she was alive in order to help other people who were in love.

The angel agreed and told Dwynwen to live as a nun and work for God for the rest of her life.

She left her home and travelled to Anglesey. She sailed to the lonely island of Llanddwyn. She build a church and grew her own food. She ate fish from the sea and drank clean water from the near by well. She was happy to work for God and to help people in love in Wales.

Years later, during the Middle Ages, people in love would travel to Llanddwyn to pray in the church and to make a wish by the well. They would throw small, white stones into the water in order to see if the person they loved was faithful or not.