Lleuchu Llwyd mostly in Mid Wales

Lleuchu Llwyd mostly in Mid Wales

Lleucu Llwyd is one of Wales’s most tragic love heroines, often referred to as the ‘Welsh Juliet’. She lived on Dolgelynen Farm near the Dyfi river around the mid-fourteenth century and was reputedly a very beautiful young woman.

Lleucu fell in love with a young poet, Llywelyn Goch the son of Meurig Hen, but her father wouldn’t agree to the match and did everything he could to separate the young lovers.

During their courtship, Llywelyn Goch was forced to travel to South Wales but vowed that he would return to marry Lleucu. While he was away, her father saw his chance and told Lleucu that Llywelyn had betrayed her and married another. This broke Lleucu’s heart and she died.

Llywelyn returned soon afterwards to Dolgelynnen to fulfil his vow and marry Lleucu, but in fact, his return coincided with her funeral, and he helped to bury her. The records of St Peter ad Vernacular church in Pennal record that Lleucu was buried under the church alter in 1390.

The tragic story of Lleucu Llwyd has continued in popular Folk tradition in Wales mainly thanks to Llywelyn Goch’s (1350 – 1380) poetry. His elegy for Lleucu is considered one of the leading pieces of its time.

LLEUCU LLWYD

Mae Lleucu Llwyd yn rhan o un o storïau caru tristaf Cymru. Roedd hi’n byw ar fferm Dolgelynen ger afon Dyfi tua chanol y bedwaredd ganrif ar ddeg, ac yn ôl y sôn roedd hi’n ferch ifanc hardd iawn.

Syrthiodd Lleucu mewn cariad â bardd ifanc, Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen, ond roedd ei thad yn anfodlon i’r berthynas barhau a gwnaeth bopeth o fewn ei allu i wahanu’r cariadon ifanc.

Yn ystod eu carwriaeth, bu rhaid i Lywelyn Goch deithio i dde Cymru, ond addawodd ddychwelyd i briodi Lleucu. Pan oedd o i ffwrdd, gwelodd tad Lleucu ei gyfle, a dywedodd wrth ei ferch fod Llywelyn wedi’i bradychu ac wedi priodi merch arall. Torrodd Lleucu ei chalon a bu farw.

Dychwelodd Llywelyn i Ddolgelynen i gadw’i addewid a phriodi Lleucu, ond pan gyrhaeddodd yn ôl, roedd ei hangladd yn cael ei gynnal a helpodd Llywelyn i’w chladdu. Yn ôl cofnodion Eglwys Sant Pedr mewn Cadwyni, Pennal, claddwyd Lleucu o dan allor yr eglwys yn 1390.

Mae stori drist Lleucu Llwyd wedi parhau’n rhan o draddodiad gwerin Cymru diolch i farddoniaeth Llywelyn Goch (1350 – 1380). Mae ei farwnad i Lleucu’n cael ei hystyried yn un o gerddi gorau’r cyfnod.

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