ST. DAVID'S

"ST. DAVID'S, a parish and city in the hundred of Dewisland, in the county of Pembroke, south Wales, 20 miles from Pembroke, and 16 from Haverfordwest. The parish comprises the hamlets of Bychan, Gwylod-y-Ulad, Mawr and Y-dre, consisting chiefly of a number of cottages in the midst of ruins. It was the Welsh Mynyw, and Roman Menevia or Menapia, at the terminus of the two great roads Via Julia and Via Flandrica, or ford Flenning. It is almost as much isolated now as in the Roman days, one omnibus twice a week to Haverfordwest "being the only connecting-link between the ancient city of St. David's and modern civilisation." Remains of the Roman town are supposed to have been discovered about 2 miles N.W. of the present city, under the sands of Whitesand Bay. The earliest mention in history is towards the close of the 5th century, when St. David, who succeeded Dubritius in the Archbishopric of South Wales, transferred the see from the ancient city of Caerleon to the wilds of Menevia, and attracted thither many distinguished pupils by his learning and piety, which became widely renowned after the famous synod at Llanddewi-Brefi, in which by his preaching he checked the spread of the Pelagian heresy then on the increase. Between the years 808 and 1087 the town and cathedral are said to have been burnt and pillaged no less than five times by the Danes, Saxons, and Normans. William the Conqueror, Henry I. and Edward I. visited the shrine of St. David, which forms part of the present cathedral, being situated between the third arch from the E., on the N. side of the presbytery. It is certainly of great antiquity, and part of the stone is worn away by the fingers or lips of the numerous pilgrims. Henry VIII. determined upon removing the see to Carmarthen, but altered his intention when he heard that his grandfather, Edmund Earl of Richmond, was buried there. The modern city of St. David's is a mere village, consisting of one principal street, and two cross ones, at the junction of which stands an ancient cross, but its principal attractions are its grand old cathedral, and the ruins of its once famous college. The ground on which the cathedral is built, with the houses of the resident ecclesiastics, the cemetery, and gardens, were formerly surrounded by a wall, abort a mile in diameter, and situated in a deep dell, so that only the upper part of the tower of the cathedral is visible from the village. The usual entrance into this close is that leading from the S.E., through a gateway, above which is an octagonal tower, 60 feet high, where the records were formerly kept, and the consistory court held; but the more imposing view is obtained from the N.E, which takes in the ruins of St. Mary's Chapel and the chapterhouse. The cathedral itself is a venerable Gothic structure, originally built in 1176 by Bishop Peter de Leia, but subsequently much altered; a large portion of the choir and transepts having been crushed by the fall of the original tower, and at another time a part of the structure having been destroyed by an earthquake. The external portion of the building most admired is the W. front, restored at the end of the last century, with modern antique flying buttresses and massive pinnacles; also the nave and aisles, of which the roof has been lowered. The Lady Chapel and chantries on either side of the choir are quite in ruins., The general design of the building is cruciform, being 290 feet from E. to W., and the transepts 120 feet, with the addition of three chapels of inferior height. In the interior some careful restorations have recently been effected by Mr. Butterfield. The most interesting objects in the cathedral are Bishop Morgan's throne, a piece of exquisite workmanship; a fine decorated stone screen and roodloft, the work of Bishop Gower; also Bishop Vaughan's beautiful Tudor chapel, and monument; besides carved stalls, painted tiles and many antique monuments, including one to the father of Henry VII, and the before-mentioned shrine of St. David. The decoration of the nave is in the transition style, between. Romanesque and Gothic. At a short distance from the cathedral is St. Mary's College, founded in 1365 by John of Gaunt, and refounded in 1377 by Bishop Houghton. The greater part of the building is a complete ruin, but the elegant tower and chapel are still standing. The palace, built by Bishop Gower, is now a heap of ruins. The diocese of St. David's, anterior to the year 1844, extended into the counties of Carmarthen, Pembroke, Brecon, Radnor, Glamorgan, Cardigan, Montgomery, Monmouth, and Hereford; but by an Order in Council, of the 31st January, 1844, that part of the deanery of Brecon in Monmouthshire was annexed to Llandaff; and by another order of 1st September, 1846, those parts of the parishes of Llangattock and Llangemdier in the diocese of St. David's were transferred to Llandaff: Attached to the cathedral of St. David's are the bishop, who is quasi decanus, the precentor, treasurer, chancellor, and the archdeacons of St. David's, Brecon, Carmarthen, and Cardigan, besides 8 prebendaries, and 6 canons cursal, being in all 22. The bishop's income is £4,500, with patronage of 99 livings. St. David's, besides being a cathedral city, is a parish, with its own minister and schools. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of St. David's, value £110, in the patronage of the bishop. There is a foundation school, known as Bishop Morgan's grammar school. The charities amount to £340 per annum, including that of Dr. Jones for apprenticing boys. In the vicinity are numerous cromlechs acid Druidical remains; and at Newgale Sands the remains of a submerged forest are met with. Giraldus Cambrensis, who lies buried in the cathedral, relates that in his days "trunks of trees appeared standing in the midst of the sea, with very black earth, and several old blocks like ebony; so that it did not appear like the sea-shore, but rather resembled a grove." Carausius, a Roman general, Asser, the friend of King Alfred, and Fenton; the author, were born in St. David's. It includes some of the most eminent ecclesiastics among its bishops, and it reckons 126 bishops in succession, which is longer than in any other diocese. Fairs are held on the 12th March and 5th August.

"CARVARCHELL, a village in the parish of St. David's, hundred of Dewisland, in the county of Pembroke, South Wales, 3 miles to the E. of St. David's. It is seated near the coast of St. Bride's Bay."

"CYLCH-BYCHAN, a hamlet in the parish of St. David's, hundred of Dewisland, in the county of Pembroke, 1 mile from St. David's, and 2 miles from Whitchurch. It contains Caryarchell and Hendr-Draw."

"CYLCH-GWYLOD-Y-WLAD, a hamlet in the parish of St. David's, hundred of Dewisland, in the county of Pembroke. It includes the island of Ramsey."

"CYLCH-MAWR, a hamlet in the parish of St. David's, hundred of Dewisland, in the county of Pembroke."

"CYLCH-Y-DRE, a hamlet in the parish of St. David's, hundred of Dewisland, in the county of Pembroke."

"HENDRED DRAW, a village in the hamlet of Cylch-Bychan, and parish of St. David's, county Pembroke, 2 miles from St. David's."

"ST. DAVID'S HEAD, in the parish of St. David's, county of Pembroke. It is the most westerly point of Wales, 3 miles from St. David's and is the old Octapitarum or Octo-petrarum, and is supposed to have been so called from a group of eight surrounding rocks.

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018