St Cadog

The patron saint of this church is now referred to as St Cadog, but it has, at other times, been St David. The 12th century poet, Gwynfardd Brycheiniog, wrote a poem in honour of St David which ascribed the dedication of five or six of the leading Carmarthenshire churches to the national saint; among them was the church in Llangadog.

In 1282, in the lands of the (King) Rhys, enormities were apparently committed by the English soldiers 'in the church of St David called Llagadanc. They made stables, lodged hariots and took away all the goods of the church and burnt the (priest’s ) house and wounded the chaplain on the head with a sword by the altar in the church and left him there half alive'.

St Cadog was the son of St Woolos, King of Gwent and his wife, Gwladys, daughter of King Brychan. Having been baptised by the Irish missionary, St Tatheus (Athan) Cadog went on to founded a monastery in Llancarfan in Glamorgan which enjoyed great respect for its learning and survived until the Norman Conquest.

Cadog was present at the synod at Llandewi Brefi, travelled widely in Wales and Brittany, and died in 577 in a place not fully identified but thought to be Llansannor near Llancarfan.