Wales is a country rich in religious history and saints. Most people will have heard of St David, the patron saint of Wales who is celebrated on the 1 March every year. There is a cathedral and small city named after him in Pembrokeshire, and numerous church services and other events are held up and down the country each year to keep his memory alive.

But what of Wales’s other saints? Well, these are many and various! One you may have heard of, but not know a lot about, is St Fagan. St Fagan was a 2^nd century Welsh bishop and saint. He is recognised by scholars as the bishop sent by the pope to convert King Lucius of Britain to Christianity.

Perhaps surprisingly, there is only one church in Wales (and the whole of the UK) named after St Fagan, which is in the village of Trecynon, near Aberdare in the South Welsh Valleys. This is a Gothic style church constructed in 1854, which was built as a place of worship for the miners who flocked to the area during the height of the coal industry.

St Fagan’s is a fine example of the Early English Gothic style, designed by Thomas Talbot Bury, a pupil of Pugin. St Fagan is depicted in its stained glass windows, which also tell other biblical stories. The church features a beautifully carved rood screen, which is an ornate wooden screen which acts as a partition between the chancel and the nave.

There is also a village near Cardiff named St Fagan in his memory. However, it is foremost in most people’s memories for being the site of the Battle of St Fagans, which occurred in May 1648, and was one of the largest armed conflicts to take place in Wales. It was a spill-over from the English Civil War, as Welsh and English troops clashed to quell a rebellion.

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