# Erfyl

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'''Erfyl''' (also known as '''Eurfyl''', among other names) was a female [Welsh](/source/Welsh_people) [virgin](/source/virgin). A church in [Llanerfyl](/source/Llanerfyl), [Powys](/source/Powys), where her grave is thought to be located, has been dedicated to her. A holy well in her name was formerly located nearby.

==History==
Records of the [feast day](/source/feast_day) of the [virgin](/source/virgin) Saint Erfyl first appear in Wales during the 15th century, recorded as 6 July. Her name may have changed over time, as when listed in the 16th century ''Llanstephan MS 47B'' manuscript,{{sfn | Baring-Gould|Fisher| 1907|p=463}} her name appears as Gwerfyl. In a manuscript written in 1508, ''Additional MS 12.913'', a "Urvul a Gwenvul" is listed on the same day. Further similar names have been attributed to her over the years, including Eurfyl, Eurful, Erful, Urful, Urfyl and Yrfyl.{{sfn | Baring-Gould|Fisher| 1907|p=464}}

A church in [Llanerfyl](/source/Llanerfyl), [Powys](/source/Powys) is dedicated to Saint Erfyl, and is supposed to be her place of burial. She has been attributed as a daughter of [Padarn](/source/Padarn) and a cousin of [Cadfan](/source/Saint_Cadfan), though this is a misreading of an inscribed stone, referred to as her gravestone, in the churchyard.{{sfn | Baring-Gould|Fisher| 1907|p=464}} The church holds a [reliquary](/source/reliquary) of Erfyl and within the grounds there are the remains of a wooden shrine.{{sfn | Higitt|Forsyth|Parsons| 2001|p=11}} A [yew](/source/yew) tree stands in the churchyard, which has had the trunk divided into four. Tradition states that it grew from Erfyl's staff.{{sfn | Hooke| 2010|p=208}}

A [holy well](/source/holy_well) devoted to Erfyl formerly stood {{convert|400|ft|m}} away from the church. The water was attributed with curing ability, and was previously used as [baptism](/source/baptism)al water in the church. It became a tradition for the children of the surrounding area to drink the water with sugar added on [Easter Monday](/source/Easter_Monday)s.{{sfn | Baring-Gould|Fisher| 1907|p=464}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|last1=Baring-Gould|first1=Sabine|author-link1=Sabine Baring-Gould|last2=Fisher|first2=John|title=Lives of the British Saints|date=1907|publisher=Charles J. Clark|volume=2 |location=London}}
*{{cite book|last1=Higitt|first1=John|last2=Forsyth|first2=Katherine|last3=Parsons|first3=David N.|title=Roman, Runes and Ogham|date=2001|publisher=Shaun Tyas|isbn=978-1-90028-944-3 |location=Donington, Lincolnshire}}
*{{cite book|last1=Hooke|first1=Della|title=Trees in Anglo-Saxon England|date=2010|publisher=Boydell Press|isbn=978-1-84383-565-3 |location=Rochester, N.Y.}}
{{refend}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Christian saints in unknown century
Category:People from Powys
Category:Female saints of medieval Wales
Category:Year of birth unknown

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Erfyl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erfyl) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erfyl?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.