- Cantre’r Gwaelod meaning the ‘Lowland Hundred’ is a Lost Kingdom located under the sea in Cardigan Bay, between Bardsey Island and Ramsey Island in Wales.
- Also known as the ‘Welsh Atlantis’, its location lies approximately 20 miles (32km) offshore.
The Legend
- The Legend was first described in the Black Book of Carmarthen, written in the 13th century CE, and developed further during the 17th century CE.
- The capital was Caer Gwyddno and its Ruler was Gwyddno Garanhir.
- Cantre’r Gwaelod lay in a low-lying land protected from the sea by a dyke with multiple sluice gates, which were opened at low tide to drain the dyke.
- Two Princes were in charge of the sluice gates, and when one got careless and left the sluice gate open, the tide came in and flooded the kingdom.
- A similar Legend exists in the Conway estuary with another submerged lost kingdom called Helig an Glanawg. It is possible that the two legends relate to the same lost kingdom.
Cardigan Bay