and the rebuilding was like the putting together of
a child's puzzle. At the north-east of the chapel is
a rather fine holy well, about three feet six inches
from the north wall. A description has already
been given in the chapter on holy wells, and the
explanation of some very curious features in it.
But there is one further feature of interest in this structure that deserves to be noted. The old granite altar, rude, like a cromlech, had never been cast down. It remained intact, and has been left intact in the reconstructed chapel.
S. Clether was the son of Clydwyn, king of Carmarthen. Clydwyn's sister was married to an Irish priest, Brynach, who, on account of the ill-favour in which the Irish were regarded in South Wales, moved into Cornwall and Devon. After a long while he returned, but was again badly received. However, Clether welcomed him, and Brynach spoke to his nephew of the God-forsaken condition of North Cornwall, and an overpowering impulse came over the king to surrender his principality to his sons, and to depart for Cornwall, there to labour for the evangelisation of his Welsh brethren in the peninsula. He had relatives there. His uncle Gwynys was at S. Genes, on the coast, and his aunt Morwenna at Morwenstow. How long he remained at S. Clether we do not know, but he probably moved on to S. Cleer, near Liskeard, where also he has a fine holy well, and there died. We do not know the precise date, but it was about A.D. 550.[1]
- ↑ Not to be confounded with S. Clether of Clodock, in Herefordshire, son of Gwynnar, and from whom the poet TaHesin was descended. The invasion of Carmarthen by Dyfnwal from the north had much to do with Clether's departure.
