The Book of Llandaf Online

Tue, 08 May 07 09:18:00

One of Wales’s most important early ecclesiastical manuscripts, The Book of Llandaf (Liber Landavensis), is now online at The National Library of Wales’s website. It’s a manuscript of considerable bulk comprising 128 vellum pages, which covers the early history of the diocese of Llandaf. The contents also throw light on the state and politics of the church in one area of Wales soon after the Norman Conquest.

It is believed that the Book of Llandaf was written between 1120 and 1140, under the supervision of Urban, who was appointed bishop of Llandaf by the king of England in 1107, and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Historians believe that the Book was written in the wake of a disagreement between Urban and the bishops of St David’s and Hereford regarding the boundaries of Llandaf diocese. It was hoped that the contents of the Book would strengthen the rights of that diocese to lands and properties in south east Wales.

The original copyist recorded a large number of charters in the volume – some authentic, others later forgeries. These charters revealed details about the property and territorial rights of the Diocese of Llandaf based on alleged donations over a period of 700 years between the 5th and the 11th century. The intention was to raise the status of the diocese, and that was substantiated by also recording in the volume the lives (vitae) of the 3 earliest bishops of Llandaf, namely, Dyfrig (Dubricius, ?465), Teilo (?500) and Euddogwy (Oudoceus, ?630).

‘The Book of Llandaf is the latest manuscript from the National Library’s collection which can be seen on the Digital Mirror pages. Among the other collections are the Black Book of Carmarthen, letters from the American Civil War and the diary of a Welsh smuggler. Digitising these collections are part of the Library’s strategy to bring our archives within the reach of people across Wales and beyond,’ said Arwel Jones, Director of Digitising at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. 

Links:

The Book of Llandaf: www.llgc.org.uk/index.php

Digital Mirror: www.llgc.org.uk/index.php

The National Library of Wales: www.llgc.org.uk

For Further Information and Images:

Siôn Jobbins, NLW Press Office: 01970 632 902  sij@llgc.org.uk