St Brynach
detail from St Cynog, St Brychan and St Alud
Photo © Martin Crampin
Three-light window with standing figures. Family heraldry in the upper tracery lights. Cynog holds a martyr's palm and a cross, and has a Celtic tonsure. His famous torc is also depicted and his cloak is fastened by a penannular brooch. Brychan also wears a cloak fastened by a penannular brooch, and a sword; he is crowned, holding a sceptre and a cross. Alud holds a sword and a stone is shown by her feet. A landscape of hills is shown in the background behind the figures, which is suggestive of the Brecon Beacons.
firm/studio: James Powell & Sons
designer: William Aikman
Cathedral Church of St John Evangelist, Brecon, Powys
north wall of the north aisle (St Keyne's Chapel)
The window was commissioned by Gwenllian Morgan in 1910 and installed in that year or in 1911. It was given in memory of Philip Howel Morgan (1816–68) of Defynnog, rector of Llanhamlach; his wife Margaret (1816–84) of Buckingham Place, Brecon; and Margaret's brother William Hughes (1820–86), vicar of Ebbw Vale.
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References
Richard Haslam, The Buildings of Wales: Powys (Harmondsworth/Cardiff: 1979), p. 292.
User contributed comments
Pritchard, Elsie, 'Gwenllian Morgan 1852-1939', Brycheiniog, vol. XII (1966/67), p. 6:
'In St Keyne's Chapel at Brecon Cathedral (The Chapel of the Cordwainers) are two stained glass windows. The upper or dormer window was given by Gwenllian and her sister Nellie in memory of their parents and their uncle The Rev. Wm. Hughes, M.A., Vicar of Ebbw Vale and J.P. for the County of Monmouth. Contained in the window are full length figures of three early Welsh Saints, St. Cynog, St. Brychan and... Show full comment
Submitted by: Jeanne Mehan (2018-02-23 15:16:19)
From Elsie Pritchard, Gwenllian Morgan (see previous note), p. 12: 'But whatever project Gwenllian Morgan was engaged on, her devotion to Brecon Cathedral never slackened. Noted as she was for her writings on historical, architectural and ecclesiastical subjects, she wrote extensively on the Cathedral and produced the guide book of this church when it was the Priory Church of St. John the Evangelist of which she was Churchwarden from 1920-22.'
Submitted by: Jeanne Mehan (2018-02-23 15:31:46)
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Pritchard offers another reason why Morgan may have chosen the Brychan family for the subject of her donation: 'One of the old established Welsh families, stemming from Brychan, first Prince of Brecknock, the Morgan motto was 'Gwell angau na chywilydd' (Better death than dishonour). Their pedigree like that of several other old Breconshire families is traced back to some extent, in the History of Brecknock by Theophilus Jones.' In confirmation of this relationship, see the painting of Gwenllian Morgan in the Breconshire Council Chamber, which includes elements of the Brychan coat of armsPritchard offers another reason why Morgan may have chosen the Brychan family for the subject of her donation: 'One of the old established Welsh families, stemming from Brychan, first Prince of Brecknock, the Morgan motto was 'Gwell angau na chywilydd' (Better death than dishonour). Their pedigree like that of several other old Breconshire families is traced back to some extent, in the History of Brecknock by Theophilus Jones.' In confirmation of this relationship, see the painting of Gwenllian Morgan in the Breconshire Council Chamber, which includes elements of the Brychan coat of arms (which can be found on Wikipedia or the Art UK website).