Sawnder Sion

St Michael's Church, Llantarnam

Sawnder Sion was a Welsh poet of the 16th century. ^[1] He was known as the "Lion of Llantarnam" and was affiliated with Llantarnam Abbey, although he lived in Llangovan, near Raglan. ^[2]

He is buried beneath the choir in St Michael's Church, Llantarnam. ^{[2] [3]} His funeral was attended by fellow poet and friend Dafydd Benwyn, whose poem praised him:

"In the choir of St Michael
Is a bed. I shall weep
There is poetry there
And great learning and choice knowledge.
And there went the lion of the monastery
Of Deuma yesterday to our regret."

References

1. Bradney, Joseph Alfred (1933). A History of Monmouthshire from the Coming of the Normans into Wales down to the Present Time: The Hundred of Caldicot (Part 1). Merton Priory. p. 202. ISBN   978-1-873361-16-0 . Retrieved 15 March 2012.
2. Williams, David Henry (2001). The Welsh Cistercians: written to commemorate the centenary of the death of Stephen William Williams (1837-1899) (The father of Cistercian archaeology in Wales). Gracewing Publishing. p. 145. ISBN   978-0-85244-354-5 . Retrieved 15 March 2012.
3. "History of our church". St Michael's Church, Llantarnam. Archived from the original on 28 December 2002. Retrieved 14 March 2012.