Welsh equivalent of Valentine’s Day – food for thought
January 24th, 20187 things you probably didn’t know about St Dwynwen’s Day
Saint Dwynwen is Wales’ very own patron saint of love, and St Dwynwen’s Day is on January 25.
1. Dwynwen means “she who leads a blessed life”.
2. Santes Dwynwen set up a convent on Llanddwyn Island – just off the west coast of Anglesey – the remains of which can still be seen today, along with Dwynwen’s well.
It’s believed the well is home to sacred fish who can predict whether couples’ relationships will succeed; if the fish are seen to be active when visiting the well, it was seen as a sign of a faithful husband.
3. Besides from the well, there is also Crochan Llanddwyn, meaning Llanddwyn’s cauldron, which is a small wishing well that is located in a rabbit warren between Llanddwyn Island and Newborough. According to folklore, if the water of the well boils while visitors are present, love and good luck will follow.
4. A Welsh love spoon is traditionally given as a Santes Dwynwen’s day gift. In 2007, the world’s largest ever love spoon was carved and measures a whopping 44ft.
5. You can visit Santes Dwynwen’s church on the tiny island of Llanddwyn, off the west coast of Anglesey, but you’ll have to be quick; Llanddwyn is a tidal island, meaning it remains attached to the mainland at all but the highest tides.
6. Besides from being the Welsh patron saint of lovers, Santes Dwynwen is also considered the patroness of farmers’ beasts.
7. A group of Denbighshire farmers celebrated Santes Dwynwen’s Day back in 2007 by turning their milk bottles into makeshift lonely heart ads, attaching pictures of themselves to them with a message inviting people to ‘Fancy a Farmer’! It remains a mystery as to whether Santes Dwynwen’s magic was able to help these plucky farmers get a date.
