Finnaun y Doudec Seint: A Holy Spring in Early Medieval Brycheiniog, Wales

Holy springs and wells were an important part of the Christian landscapes of early medieval Wales, but comparatively few examples appear in pre-twelfth-century sources or have been explored archaeologically. The Finnaun y Dodec Seint (“Spring of the Twelve Saints”) recorded in the boundary clause of a charter in the Book of Llandaff affords the rare opportunity to examine a documented early medieval holy spring within its landscape context. The location of the spring is unknown, but three possible sites can be determined based on the boundary clause. This chapter discusses the identity of the “Twelve Saints” and suggests they are the Twelve Apostles, before considering whether the spring was associated with a church, and exploring how it served as a boundary marker of an important estate.