St Asaph Cathederal
St Asaph Cathederal
The present building was begun in the thirteenth century and is reputed to be the smallest ancient cathederal in Great Britain. The cathederal has twice been destroyed by fire and has a fascinating and often violent history, including attacks by the rebellious natives and foreign invaders.
The Cathederal is an important historical and cultural feature of St Asaph and Denbighshire and is used by many local groups for celebratory events and services. It offers a multi-faced educational experience geared to the school curriculum.
The 250 year old mudstone paving in the north and south transepts had deteriorated badly and in some areas were cracked exposing voids underneath. An effort to repair and retain the existing stone flooring was made, including reversing the stones, but it was not possible. With the aid of a WREN grant the floor has now been sympathetically renewed and the existing funeral slabs relaid in less vunerable positions for conservation. Interestingly, when the floor of the north transepts was raised, the archeogical team found remains of an original clay floor, charred, indicating an earlier fire and confirming the historical data.
