NAR SH32NW4

St Tudwal's is a small island off the south coast of the Llyn peninsular (NPRN 33027). An Augustinian priory is recorded between 1291 & 1509-11. This had fallen away and the island was farmed before a brief monastic revival occurred in 1886-7 under the auspices of Fr Hughes. The only remaining building (NPRN 97198) was originally an eighteenth century house or cottage, before being adapted as a chapel in 1886-7. Brought back from dereliction it is now a cottage once more.
Excavations, from 1959 to 1963, identified a cluster of buildings centred on an early thirteenth century church underlying the later house/chapel. The footings of a mid fourteenth century hall remain exposed a little way to the north (NPRN 26745). These buildings were associated with a complex of enclosures.
Earlier activity was represented by postholes and paving. These were tentatively associated with Roman material.
The late nineteenth century monastery, depicted on OS County series 1st edition (Caernarvon. XLV.15 1889), is likely to have reused existing buildings. Its most dramatic achievement was the laying out of gardens occupying almost the entire island (NPRN 401812).

Source: Hague in the Journal of Medieval Archaeology 4 (1961), 141
5 (1962), 315-7
6-7 (1964), 318-9
8 (1965), 246-8
RCAHMW Caernarvonshire Inventory III (1964), 48-50

John Wiles 01.08.07