St. Non was born in c.AD 475 and is recognised in Christianity as the mother of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. As the ‘daughter of a Pembrokeshire chieftain’* she went on to become a nun at Ty Gwyn near Whitesands Bay, Pembrokeshire, but was subsequently raped, resulting in her pregnancy.

Non was forced into hiding and legend reveals that she gave birth at Caerfai, near what is now St. Davids. The circumstances of her pregnancy and the significance of her role in Welsh mythology are further emphasised in the details of her labour. It is said that she gave birth to David in a violent thunderstorm and was in such agony that her fingers left an impression in a nearby rock. During the dark storm, she was said to have been bathed in light while the rocks split apart with her plight.

Non’s veneration draws parallels with the Madonna figure as mother, innocent (she was supposedly celibate before and after the birth of David) and sacrificial icon (she is said to have lived only on bread and water). This raises many questions regarding the qualities revered in women. Yet Non was also thought to have travelled widely through her life and founded a convent in Llanon (a village in Ceredigion named after her).

In later life, Non went on to live near her sister, St. Wenna, before settling in Dirinon in Brittany where she died and was buried. There is a shrine to her at Dirinon’s Church, a Holy Well in Cornwall (as well as in Pembrokeshire) and the ruins St. Non’s Chapel near St. Davids, the site of which she is thought to have given birth.

Ganed Santes Non yn 475 OC a hi yn ôl y grefydd Gristnogol oedd mam Dewi Sant, nawddsant Cymru. Roedd yn ‘ferch i bennaeth tiroedd yn Sir Benfro’* oedd yn lleian yn Nhŷ Gwyn ger Bae Porth Mawr, Sir Benfro, ond cafodd ei threisio, a arweiniodd at ei beichiogrwydd.

Gorfodwyd Non i ymguddio ac yn ôl y chwedl roedd wedi rhoi genedigaeth yng Nghaer-fai, ger Tyddewi heddiw. Mae amgylchiadau ei beichiogrwydd ac arwyddocâd ei rôl ym mytholeg Cymru yn cael eu pwysleisio ymhellach ym manylion yr enedigaeth. Dywedir ei bod wedi esgor ar Dewi mewn storm enbyd a’i bod mewn cymaint o wewyr nes bod ei bysedd wedi gadael eu hôl ar garreg gyfagos. Yng nghanol y storm dywyll, dywedir i’r haul dorri drwy’r cymylau gan oleuo’r lle wrth iddi esgor, a bod y cerrig wedi’u hollti gan ei hartaith.  

Mae mawrygu Non yn cyffelybu i hanes Madonna fel mam, yn ddiniwed (yn ôl pob sôn roedd yn wyryf cyn ac ar ôl genedigaeth Dewi) ac yn eicon oedd wedi aberthu (dywedir iddi fyw ar fara a dŵr yn unig). Mae hyn yn codi nifer o gwestiynau ynglŷn â’r rhinweddau a barchwyd mewn menywod. Eto i gyd, credir bod Non wedi teithio’n eang gydol ei bywyd ac wedi sefydlu lleiandy yn Llan-non (pentref yng Ngheredigion a enwyd ar ei hôl). 

Yn ddiweddarach yn ei bywyd, aeth Non i fyw ar bwys ei chwaer, Santes Wenna, cyn ymsefydlu yn Dirinon yn Llydaw lle bu farw a chael ei chladdu. Mae cysegrfa iddi yn Eglwys Dirinon, Ffynnon Sanctaidd yng Nghernyw (yn ogystal ag yn Sir Benfro) ac adfeilion Capel Santes Non, ger Tyddewi, y safle lle credir iddi roi genedigaeth i Dewi.