St Asaph's Cathedral

Getting to St Asaph by public transport isn’t easy. A train to the delightful town of Rhyll, which is well worth a visit. Then take a 30-40 minute bus to St Asaph, a journey that winds through some of the most beautiful Welsh countryside, a sight to behold.

The bus drops you off outside this small but perfectly formed 13th-century cathedral. The cathedral is part of the Church in Wales, not the Church of England and part of the Anglican Communion of Wales. Saint Kentigern built A church on or near the site in the 6th century. Saint Asa (or Asaph), a grandson of Pabo Post Prydain, followed after this date.

The earliest part of the current building dates to the 13th century after the previous cathedral was destroyed by soldiers of King Edward I during the Second Welsh War in 1282. in 1402, Owain Glyndŵr's troops went on the rampage, causing severe damage to the furnishings and fittings, and it was a ruin for seventy years. The present building was primarily built during the reign of Henry Tudor and was extensively restored in the 19th century. Two hundred and fifty years after Glyndwr’s rebellion, during the Commonwealth, the building was used to house farm animals: pigs, cattle and horses.

Here are a few photos of this lovely cathedral.