The enduring legacy of an early Welsh Saint.
Around AD 525 a young Christian nobleman named Deiniol moved to Gwynedd from his family’s home in Powys, mid-Wales. The ruler of Gwynedd at the time, Maelgwn Gwynedd, gave him land near the coast, in a sheltered valley beside a river, on which to build a monastery. Deiniol erected a wattle fence around this land, within which he constructed his monastery buildings: cells for his fellow monks and a small church. The Welsh name for this type of enclosure is bangor, and it is from this early, simple structure that the modern city takes its name.
The magnificent, stone Cathedral Church of St Deiniol stands on the very spot that the saint first inhabited, making it the earliest cathedral foundation in Britain – although nothing of the original structures remains. The church was destroyed by Viking raiders in 1073, and the earliest surviving parts of the current building date from the 12th century. Look out for a round window that has been filled in; it is visible on the exterior, high up on the south-east wall.
The 12th-century rebuilding work was financed by the then prince of Gwynedd, Gruffudd ap Cynan. He is buried beside the high altar, along with his sons Cadwaldr and Owain Gwynedd, who succeeded him as ruler of Gwynedd in 1157.
The Cathedral has suffered several attacks over the centuries. In the 13th century it was damaged during two invasions of Wales by kings of England, first John and then Edward I. The building was badly burned again in 1402 during Owain Glyndŵr’s uprising against the English. Yet St Deiniol’s has endured. It remains an important place of worship and a fascinating destination for the visitor.
Free Entry
In the city centre of Bangor.
½ mile from Bangor railway station.
Plenty of buses serve Bangor. Call Traveline on 0871 200 2233 or go online at http://www.traveline-cymru.info for the latest public transport information.
In the city centre of Bangor.
In the city centre of Bangor.
Easy.