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SECTION I.

The comparative Antiquity of the Foundation of Churches and Chapels in Wales ascertained from the nature of their Endowments.

ACCORDING to popular opinion, many of the churches in Wales were founded by certain holy persons or Saints whose names they retain, as if Llangadog and Llandeilo,* or the Churches of Cadog and Teilo, were not so called in consequence of any formal dedication, but named after their founders, who are alleged to have lived in the fifth and sixth centuries. Lest however it should be urged that the Welsh Records and Traditions, which support this opinion of their high antiquity, are of insufficient authority, it may be proved that churches of the class alluded to are necessarily, from the nature of their endowments, the most ancient† in the Principality, if indeed they were not founded in the early age to which they are attributed.

In the absence of positive evidence to the fact, it will readily be granted that the Welsh churches were at first few, and that they were afterwards multiplied to serve the occasions that required them. How soon certain districts were apportioned for their maintenance, cannot well be determined. It is, however, probable that the districts first appropriated

* Usually written "Llangadock" and "Llandilo," but the Welsh mode of spelling is here preferred, in order to render the meaning of the names more obvious.

These observations apply to churches as regards their original establishment, the antiquity of the edifices which now exist, being more of an architectural question, does not belong to the purpose of this Essay.

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