St. Davids

After a welcome overnight rest in the Golden Lion, Newport, a non-walking day consisted of a visit to St Davids Cathedral. The walking clothes were still drying out after yesterday's drenching!

Set a few miles inland from a spectacular Pembrokeshire peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic, upon the site of an earlier sixth-century monastery built by St David, the Patron Saint of Wales, St Davids Cathedral has been a site of pilgrimage and worship for more than 800 years.



The monastic community was originally founded by Saint David, Abbot of Menevia, who died in 589. Between 645 and 1097, the community was attacked many times by raiders, including the Vikings, however, it was of such note as both a religious and intellectual centre that King Alfred summoned help from the monastic community at St. David's in rebuilding the intellectual life of the Kingdom of Wessex.

In 1081, William the Conqueror visited St. David's to pray, and thus recognised it as a holy and respected place.



Work on the present cathedral began sometime between 1180 and 1182 and is the culmination of centuries of rebuilding and expansion. Constructed in the Transitional Norman style using fine-grained, purple Cambrian sandstone, it has survived both the collapse of its tower and an earthquake in the 13th century, although today the floor slopes noticeably, the arcades veer from the vertical, and the east and west ends of the building differ in height by about four metres!



The restored Shrine of St David was unveiled and re-dedicated by The Right Reverend Wyn Evans, Bishop of St Davids, at a Choral Eucharist on St David's Day 2012. Sarah Crisp painted and gilded the five icons which have been installed to sit within the exisiting niches of the restored shrine. The icons, made in egg tempera on gesso, depict St David and other saints associated with the cathedral and the local area. The three icons at the front of shrine depict from left to right: St Patrick, St David and St Andrew. The icons are painted on lime wood panels and combine the styles of classic Byzantine with early Italian works. Traditional paint and techniques were used throughout.

The Cathedral has also been used as a location for a BBC production called "The Hollow Crown" as part of the castle of Richard II.

The title of "city" was re-instated to St. David's, and formally conferred by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 1 June 1995.



The weather had been glorious all day in St. Davids and reluctantly it was decided to return to Newport Sands where ice-creams were consumed before it started to rain!!