Almedha was a religious leader and virgin martyr who lived in the Kingdom of Brycheiniog during the 5th or 6th century. A daughter of King Brychan, she embraced Christianity and fled her home to avoid a forced marriage to a pagan prince. After being rejected by several local communities, she eventually sought refuge at Slwch Tump. Her life ended when her pursuer caught and beheaded her, an event that reportedly caused a healing spring to emerge from the ground where her head struck a stone.
Life and death
Following her conversion to Christianity, Almedha traveled through various locations including Llan Ddew, Llanfilo, and Llechfaen. In each place, she was expelled by the local inhabitants. She finally found protection under a local lord at Slwch Tump, but her pursuer located her there. The chase ended with her death, leading to the legend of a miraculous spring appearing at the site of her martyrdom.
Veneration and legacy
Her remains were historically kept at a Benedictine priory church in Usk. The holy well at Slwch, associated with her miracles, and her chapel were later destroyed during the Reformation. By the 17th century, only ruins and an old yew tree near a well marked the site of her former chapel. She is commemorated on 1 August, a date coinciding with the pagan festival of Lughnasadh.