Seventh in a series of caches around Mathern [Merthyr Tewdrig] and is recognized as the purported burial place of Tewdrig, King of the Celtic kingdom of Morgannwg, roughly corresponding to present-day Glamorganshire and southern Monmouthshire.
The name for the village, ‘Mathern’, derives from Merthyr-Tewdrig (the "burial-place of Tewdrig"), after the martyrdom of St. Tewdrig, king of Gwent and Glywysing and the church is of course, St. Tewdric’s Church.
Called from retirement in his hermit’s cell by his son Meurig to repel the invading Saxons, Tewdric won the ensuing battle at Tintern but received a mortal blow to the skull. As his wounds were washed in a well (now St. Tewdric’s Well) on his last journey towards his final resting place on the island of Flatholm in the Severn Estuary, he asked his son to build a church at whatever place he should meet his death. Tewdric was only carried a few hundred yards more and Meurig kept his promise.
A tablet in the chancel records details of a skeleton found by archaeologists under the chancel floor during the 19th century restoration. The skull had apparently been split by the blow of an axe or spear. The remains were re-interred in their original location. Unfortunately, no carbon-dating was available at that time.
The existing parish church of St. Tewdric dates largely from the late 15th century, when it was rebuilt on an earlier foundation by John Marshall, Bishop of Llandaff, in the Perpendicular architectural style. However, parts dating from the 12th and 13th centuries are still visible. The church also possesses several monuments to the Bishops of Llandaff, up to the end of the 17th century. The building was heavily restored in the 1880s. The medieval font was recovered from beneath the porch by Canon E.T. Davies in 1943 and in 1955 the Church was given Grade I Listed status.
Please be very discreet and replace the cache as found very carefully so that it is secure.
Located near the perimeter wall is an impressive life-size wood carving of St. Tewdric. For the Mathern Mystery Bonus then G = the last digit of the year when this was installed.
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