St.Dogmaels and the Early Christian Church

St Dogmael (or St.Dogfael) is believed to have lived in the sixth century, but almost nothing is known about him save that he is likely to have been the son of Ithel ap Ceredig ap Cunedda Wledig. Dogmael was also reputed to have been a cousin of St David. St Dogmael's influence seems to have been mostly confined to the Preseli area.

Even less is known of 'the ancient church of St Dogfael', but from the rich collection of early Christian stones and from references in the Welsh Chronicle of the Princes (Brut y Tywysogyon), it appears to have been an early monastery or clas church. During excavations of the Norman abbey, an early Christian stone was found under a wall of the chapter house, thus helping to substantiate the notion that the medieval abbey was built on or near the site of the more ancient establishment.

A number of early Christian monasteries had become firmly established in Wales by the 6th century. St. Dogmael's church at Llandudoch may have been one of them. Each contained a community or clas under an abbot.

In 988, according to the Welsh chronicles, the Vikings attacked Llandudoch, along with other monastic churches near the Welsh coast, including St Davids, Llanbadarn, Llancarfan and Llantwit Major.