Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri, (c1330 – 1378), known as Owain Lawgoch in Wales and Yvain de Galles in France was a Welsh prince who fought for France. Local folklore connects him with Llyn Llech Owain and the nearby village of Llandybie.
The great nephew of Llywelyn the Last (Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf) was born in Surrey but as heir to the House of Gwynedd was taken to France at an early age to be out of harm’s way. Brought up in the French court and a friend of Charles V, he was recognised as by the French as the rightful Prince of Wales.

In the winter of 1369, he sailed with an army of Welsh and French soldiers with the intention of retaking Wales and claiming his birthright. Stopping at the Isle of Wight for supplies, the wind unexpectedly turned against them and they couldn’t proceed. Instead they sacked towns along the south coast of England before returning to France.
Another invasion attempt was made in 1372, this time they got as far as Guernsey, when Owain was orderd to abandon the expedition in order to assist in the attack on the English at La Rochelle. The subsequent defeat of the English fleet at La Rochelle encouraged Charles V to drive the English out of their enclave in France, soldiers were therefore diverted to this task and the proposed invasion of Wales never happened.
To prevent further attempts at invasion, a Scottish spy, Jon Lamb was sent by John of Gaunt to assassinate Owain who at the time was leading the attack on Mortagne sur Gironde. There is a monument to Owain in the town.

Local folklore abounds with associations with Owain. He was the knight that forgot to replace the stone over the well after watering his horse, thus creating Llyn Llech Owain. His heart is said to have been brought back to Llandybie from France and he is the leader of the knights sleeping in the cave who will one day reawake to defend the nation, not Arthur or Owain Glyndwr. In 1813 twelve skeletons were found in a cave at Cilyrychen, Llandybie.

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