St Davids Cathedral

Why visit

St Davids Cathedral is worth allowing time for because it combines architecture, worship spaces, monuments and the changing use of a long-lived religious site. The site is more useful than a quick photograph: its surviving features give clear evidence of how the place developed and how people used it. Key things to concentrate on are nave, choir and principal architectural details and memorials, chapels and historic fittings. Its position in or near St Davids also makes it a practical anchor for exploring the surrounding region without reducing the visit to a simple landmark stop.

What you will see

• nave, choir and principal architectural details.
• memorials, chapels and historic fittings.

History

A monastic community associated with St David developed here in the early medieval period. The present cathedral was begun in the 12th century and repeatedly altered after earthquakes, damage and later restoration.

Photographs

Alan Thomas · CC BY-SA 2.0 · full attribution on the image credits page.

Visitor tips

1. 1

   Allow enough time for the principal features rather than treating the stop only as a photograph.

2. 2

   Check the official visitor page shortly before travel for access, booking and any temporary restrictions.

About South and West Wales

Cardiff’s historic core, Pembrokeshire coast, Bannau Brycheiniog mountains and the Wye Valley’s monastic heritage.