Welsh Journals

The Story of Llangranog. HE Village of Llangranog takes its name from the Church which is dedicated to St. Caranog. The earliest written account of St. Caranog is given by John of Teignmouth, a mediaeval writer, and this was translated from the Latin by Cressy who wrote aChurch History in 1668. John of Teignmouth says He (Caranog) was brought by God's command to a certain pleasant place, where he reposing built an oratory, and there spent his time in praises of God." Cressy adds Whithersoever this holy man went an Angel of our Lord in the likeness of a dove accompanied him." We find a much longer and more definite account of St. Caranog in "The Lives of Cambro British Saints," by W. J. Rees. Ceredig ( King of part of South Wales) was an old man, and the elders asked him to appoint a son as successor, and he named Caranog. But Caranog loved a heavenly King more than an earthly kingdom, and the will of his Master better than human favour, and he took to flight that they might not find him. Then he first took a better staff, and a spade from a certain poor man, and came to a place called Guerit Caranog, and remained here some time, and would there pray to God. And when he was there and would do some work, a pigeon came daily, and took from his staff what he had pared off. And he said, Lord, to what place does it take it ? and he resolved in his mind I will go and see where it takes it to.' And he arose and went through a wood and a forest, and the pigeon came and alighted in a place, where there is at present a church, and there it parted with it. And he saw and said Here I ought to be for God wills it.' And he remained there some time, and rendered devout thanks to God, then he went to Ireland, and converted districts of Irishmen, and was honoured by Kings.' Afterwards he came again to his own country Ceredigion, to his cave, with many clergymen, and there performed many miracles which no one can enumerate. Then he crossed the Severn, spent some time in Cornwall, where there is also a Church dedicated to him at Crantock, which village is called after his Latin name, Carantus. He returned again to Ireland, where he died. His life embraced the period 500—548 A.D." A good deal of this account is of course purely legendary, but there can be no sort of doubt that St. Caranog really lived, and was a'preacher of the Gospel. If he did not found a Church at Llan- granog, why should his name be attached to the place ? The cave in which he lived may have been one of the many among the rocks