Bangor Cathedral

Another day, another cathedral, another journey from Wrexham on Transport for Wales. Today, it’s to the Oldest city in Wales, Bangorr, which is not to be confused with its namesake in Northern Ireland. There’s a lot to see and do in the city, and it’s well worth spending a few days there. I was only there for one day, but I will be going back.

The city was founded in the 6th century when a monastery was established on the site of Bangor Cathedral by the Celtic saint Deiniol. It remained a relatively small city until the 18th century when a political desire to enhance communications between England and Ireland via the London-Holyhead-Dublin corridor saw it designated as a post town in 1718. The route between London and Holyhead was much improved by Thomas Telford building the A5 road, which runs through the city's centre and over the Menai Suspension Bridge , which he also completed in 1826. Bangor railway station was opened in 1848.

Bangor is unique outside of England in that it uses the title of city due to its long-standing cathedral and past privileges granted by ancient prescriptive rights, making it a borough.

St Deinol’s Cathedral is believed to be on the site of the 6th-century monastery, which was sacked in 634 and again in 1073; nothing from the original building survives. The Synod of Westminster in 1102 is recorded as wanting to restore Bangor Cathedral. The earliest part of the building was built between 1120 and 1139 with the assistance of the king of Gwynedd, Gruffudd ap Cynan, who was buried by the high altar on his death in 1137. This was a cruciform building in the Norman style, about 44 yards in length.

King John's army destroyed it in 1211 on a raid into Gwynedd. In the 13th century the original apse was removed and the choir was extended to its present length. The church was badly damaged when King Edward I invaded Gwynedd in 1282. There was extensive rebuilding in this period, under the first Bishop Anian, with the transepts and crossing rebuilt. The nave was rebuilt in the late 14th century.

The cathedral was said to have been burnt to the ground in 1402 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, but there is no contemporary evidence for this, though it may well have been damaged. Extensive reconstruction from the end of the 15th century was completed in 1532. Some work was done during the 18th century followed by the altering and refitting of the interior in 1825.

Here are some photos of this lovely church.