Your Guide to St Davids

St Davids Cathedral

Located on the western edge of the city, St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire is a remarkable building. The construction of the current cathedral began in the 1100s on the site of the monastery established by St David 500 years earlier. In the 1300s, Bishop Gower repaired and extended St Davids Cathedral. Gower is also known as the builder of the Bishop’s Palace nearby, and, at the time, was an unusual figure as a Welsh bishop in Norman times.

Today, the cathedral is a fascinating site to explore, rich in history and full of architectural and religious wonder.

Who Was Bishop Gower?

Bishop Gower is one of the notable figures buried in St Davids Cathedral, alongside the shrine of St David and the tomb of Edmund Tudor. Edmund’s son, born in Pembrokeshire, was King Henry VII, whose crowning effectively ended the Wars of the Roses with the Lancastrian victory over the Yorkists at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

A Pilgrimage to St Davids

St Davids Cathedral is considered one of the most remarkable medieval buildings and Christian shrines in the UK. The religious significance of the site is not new. In 1120, Pope Callixtus II canonised St David, and thus he was declared Patron Saint of Wales. Such was the significance of St David that Pope Callixtus II stated that two pilgrimages to St Davids were equivalent to one to Rome. The cathedral and the religious significance of the area were significant factors in St Davids gaining city status.

The late Queen Elizabeth II designated St Davids a city in the 1990s. If you were wondering how big the city of St Davids is today, it maintains the feel of a coastal village. Covering 1.6 km/1 mile at its longest point and with a population of less than 2,000, it is easy to see why. The city is not a destination for hurried sightseeing.

St Davids boasts a charming selection of independent boutiques and artisan producers, adding another layer of charm to the city’s appeal.

St Davids

St Davids Bishop’s Palace

Located beside St Davids Cathedral sits St Davids Bishop’s Palace, or Llys yr Esgob, Tyddewi in Welsh. Built in the 14th century by Bishop Henry de Gower, the palace provided a home for the bishop befitting the religious significance of St David’s Cathedral and the shrine of St David. The palace fell into ruin following the Reformation in the 16th century. However, St Davids Bishop’s Palace remains an architecturally interesting place to explore, offering an insight into life before the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Puffin in flight

Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre

On the opposite side of the city to St Davids Cathedral, explore Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre, the award-winning gateway to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Combining contemporary Welsh art, local exhibitions and expert insight into the region’s landscapes and wildlife, it provides an elegant introduction to the area’s cultural and ecological richness.

Nestled in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, St Davids is the gateway to some of the most dramatic stretches of coastline in the UK, with wave-battered cliffs, hidden coves, wildflower-covered headlands and vast Atlantic horizons. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path can be accessed from the city, offering exceptional walking routes where seabirds wheel overhead, and seals bask on remote rocky outcrops below.