Llantwit Major - History

History

Llantwit Major has been occupied for over 3000 years and archeological evidence has shown it was occupied in Neolithic times. The remains of an Iron Age fort lie in the beach area. Excavations at the Roman villa at Caer Mead have revealed that this area was occupied during Roman times for around 350 years; its bathrooms and the mosaic pavements date from the mid 2nd century AD. In the 5th century, after the withdrawal of the legions, Saint Illtud came to the Hodnant valley from Brittany and founded the monastery of Illtud on the Ogney Brook, and a college, in close proximity to the current St Illtyd's Church, about a mile from the sea. The exact date of its founding is unknown, but some sources indicate around the year 500 AD; the blue plaque on the church today also gives this date. Because of its monastery and teaching centre it became a major centre for education and Celtic Church evangelism, attracting scholars from across Wales, Devon, Cornwall and Brittany and the wider world. The college of Llantwit, known as the College or Seminary of Theodosius (Cor Tewdws in Welsh) or College of St. Illtyd, at its peak reputedly had seven halls, over 400 houses and over 2000 students, including seven sons of British princes, and scholars such as St. Patrick, St. Paul Aurelian, the bard Taliesin, Gildas the historian, Samson of Dol, Paulinus, Bishop of Leon, and St. David is believed to have spent some time there. According to documents, whilst Saint Patrick was a priest at the monastery he was abducted by Irish pirates, later becoming the patron saint of Ireland. Samson was known to have been summoned by Dyfrig to join the monastery in 521 and he was briefly elected abbot before leaving for Cornwall. King Hywel ap Rhys (d. 886) was buried at the monastery.

The college suffered during the invasions of the Saxons and the Danes and was destroyed by the Vikings in 987 and the Normans in the late 11th century. However, in 1111, it is documented as being restored but likely in a lesser state than the original. It is known to have continued to function as a monastic school through medieval times until the Reformation period. The ruins of the original school house are located in a garden on the northern end of the churchyard and the monastic halls were located in a place called Hill-head on the north side of the tithe-barn. Although nothing of the original monastery remains, the present church was originally built between 950 and 1400 and its earliest existing secular buildings date from the 15th century. The church and school became the property of Tewkesbury Abbey around 1130 after becoming part of the Norman kingdom of Glamorgan but after the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII during the Reformation, it became independent from Tewkesbury in 1539. St Donat's Castle, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the west, was built in the 13th century.

In the 20th century, Llantwit developed into a dormitory town and grew about 15 times in size to accommodate the Royal Air Force at St Athan. Despite its modernization and rapid growth, it retains its medieval feel with its narrow winding streets, high walls, medieval town hall and gatehouse, and several inns and houses dated to the 16th century. Llantwit Major railway station on the Vale of Glamorgan Line was reopened in June 2005.