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In 1334 this
was Henfresroudre which may have derived from 'the old
place of the brethren'. The name of Dyfrig's first monastery
was in the 6th century Hennlan super ripam Gui - 'the
old church on the River Wye'. The identification of
Llanfrother rather than Hentland with the original monastic
site is suggested by the fact that Llanfrother overlooks the
Wye while Hentland itself is some distance away.
In the entry for Hentland in Casseys
Herefordshire directory for 1858 the site is mentioned -
'in certain pastures belonging to a farm in this parish, there
is a place which to this day is called Llanfrawter …. The
Church of the Convent of the Brethren'. The entry
continues with an early cropmark description 'At particular
seasons, the foundations of extensive buildings may still be
traced on the summit of the eminence rising from the Western
bank of the Wye; all the materials, however that were above
ground, have been used for the construction of walls etc'.
Dyfrig is said to have spent seven years
at Llanfrother. It was alleged to have been a large
community, with a thousand monks - et cum his mille
clericos per septem annos continuos inpodo hennlann super Gui.
While this figure may be an exaggeration, British, like Irish,
monasteries could house many monks. At the battle of Chester
(616) 1,200 monks were said to have been slain by Æthelfrith
of Northumbria. Most of these were apparently from one
monastery, Bangor. |
