{{Short description|Cathedral in Denbighshire, Wales}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox church | denomination = [[Church in Wales]] | name = Saint Asaph Cathedral | native_name = Eglwys Gadeiriol Llanelwy | native_name_lang = Welsh | full_name = Cathedral Church of Saints Asaph and Cyndeyrn | image = St Asaph Cathedral from the north-west.jpg | landscape = | image_size = | caption = St Asaph Cathedral from the north-west | imagelink = | alt = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_mapsize = | map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|53|15|26|N|3|26|31|W|type:landmark_region:GB-DEN|display=title,inline}} | country = [[Wales]] | location = [[St Asaph]], [[Denbighshire]] | previous_denomination = [[Roman Catholic]] | churchmanship = | website = https://stasaphcathedral.wales/en | former_name = | founded = | founder = | dedication = | dedicated = | consecrated = | events = | status = | functional_status = | heritage_designation = | designated = | architect = | architectural_type = | style = [[Romanesque architecture]], [[English Gothic architecture]] | groundbreaking = | completed = Mid-13th century | construction_cost = | closed = | demolished = | length = | height = | diocese = [[Diocese of St Asaph|St Asaph]] | bishop = [[Gregory Cameron]] | abbot = | vicar = | rector = | dean = [[Nigel Williams (priest)|Nigel Williams]] | pastor = }} [[File:StAsaphCathedral Nave.JPG|thumb|Interior – nave and west end]] [[File:Diagram of window in St Asaph catheadral 02170.jpg|thumb|upright|Diagram of window in St Asaph cathedral, with the names of all the families represented by the coats of arms]]
The '''Cathedral Church of Saints Asaph and Cyndeyrn''', commonly called '''St Asaph Cathedral''' ({{langx|cy|Eglwys Gadeiriol Llanelwy}}), is a [[Church in Wales]] [[cathedral]] in [[St Asaph]], [[Denbighshire]], north [[Wales]]. It is the [[Cathedra|episcopal seat]] of the [[Bishop of St Asaph]]. The cathedral dates back 1,400 years, while the current building dates from the 13th century.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-17365580|title=St Asaph in north Wales named Diamond Jubilee city|work=BBC News|date=14 March 2012}}</ref>
== History == A church was originally built on or near the site by [[Saint Kentigern]] in the 6th century (other sources say Saint Elwy in 560). [[Saint Asaph|Saint Asa (or Asaph)]], a grandson of [[Pabo Post Prydain]], followed after this date.
The earliest parts of the present building date from the 13th century when a new building was begun on the site after the original stone cathedral was burnt by soldiers of [[Edward I of England|King Edward I]] during the Second Welsh War in 1282. Indeed, there had been plans, following the First Welsh War (1277) to relocate the church to [[Rhuddlan]], plans supported by [[Bishop Anian]] (Einion I). However these plans came to nought following the war of 1282, as [[Conwy]] and [[Caernarfon]] were considered to be the new centres of administration.<ref>A.J. Taylor, ‘Rhuddlan cathedral: a ‘might-have-been’ of Flintshire history’, Flintshire Historical Society Publications 15 (1954-5)</ref>
The rebellion of [[Owain Glyndŵr]] resulted in part of the cathedral being reduced to a ruin for seventy years. The present building was largely built in the reign of [[Henry VII of England|Henry Tudor]] and greatly [[Victorian restoration|restored]] in the 19th century.
The cathedral made the national press in 1930 when the tower became subject to significant [[subsidence]] and the cathedral architect [[Charles Marriott Oldrid Scott]] advised of urgent repairs to be undertaken.<ref>''The Times'', Saturday April 5, 1930; pg. 11; Issue 45480; col E</ref><ref>''The Times'', Saturday April 19, 1930; pg. 12; Issue 45491; col B.</ref> It was reported that the cause of the damage was by a subterranean stream.<ref>''The Times'', Saturday September 6, 1930; pg. 12; Issue 45611; col D</ref> It made the papers again when work was approaching completion in 1935.<ref>''The Times'', Wednesday September 18, 1935; pg. 13; Issue 47172; col E</ref>
[[Geoffrey of Monmouth]] served as [[Bishop of St Asaph]] from 1152 to 1155, although due to war and unrest in Wales at the time, he probably never set foot in his see. [[William Morgan (Bible translator)|William Morgan]] (1545 – 10 September 1604) was also Bishop of St Asaph and of [[Bishop of Llandaff|Llandaff]], and was the first to translate the whole Bible, from Greek and Hebrew, into Welsh. His Bible is kept on public display in the cathedral. The first Archbishop of Wales [[A. G. Edwards (bishop)|A. G. Edwards]] was appointed Bishop of St Asaph in 1889.
In August 2018, the cathedral took the controversial step of making its music staff redundant, citing financial pressures.<ref name=finance>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-45323546|title=Cathedral makes music team redundant|date=2018-08-27|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-09-19|language=en-GB}}</ref> The cathedral have since re-established the position of Director of Music following the appointment of Paul Booth from September 2019. The choir continue to sing for three services a week.
==The organ==
A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D08459|title=The National Pipe Organ Register - NPOR}}</ref>
===List of organists=== {{See also|List of musicians at Welsh cathedrals}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year instated ! Name |- | 1620 | John Day |- | 1630 | Abednego D. Perkins |- | 1631 | John Wilson |- | 1669 | Thomas Ottey |- | 1680 | William Key |- | 1686 | Thomas Hughes |- | 1694 | Alexander Gerard |- | 1738 | John Gerard |- | 1782 | John Jones |- | 1785 | Edward Bailey |- | 1791 | Charles Spence |- | 1794 | Henry Hayden |- | 1834 | Robert Augustus Atkins |- | 1889 | Llewellyn Lloyd |- | 1897 | [[Hugh Allen (conductor)|Hugh Percy Allen]] |- | 1898 | Archibald Wayet Wilson |- | 1901 | [[Cyril Rootham|Cyril Bradley Rootham]] |- | 1902 | William Edward Belcher |- | 1917 | [[Harold Carpenter Lumb Stocks]] |- | 1956 | Robert Duke Dickinson |- | 1962 | James Roland Middleton |- | 1970 | Graham John Elliott |- | 1981 | John Theodore Belcher |- | 1985 | Hugh Davies |- | 1998 | Graham Eccles |- | 2004 | Alan McGuinness |- |2018 |''position abolished'' <ref name=finance /> |- | 2019 | Paul Booth ''(position re-established)'' |- |}
==Burials== *[[John Owen (bishop of St Asaph)]], [[Bishop of St Asaph]] (1629 to 1651) *[[Isaac Barrow (bishop)]], Bishop of St Asaph (1669–1680)—buried in the Cathedral churchyard *[[William Mathias]] (1934–1992), composer, born in [[Whitland]], [[Carmarthenshire]]. *[[William Carey (bishop)]], Bishop of St Asaph (1830–1846)—buried in the Cathedral churchyard *[[Joshua Hughes (bishop)|Joshua Hughes]], Bishop of St Asaph (1870–1889) *[[A. G. Edwards (bishop)|A. G. Edwards]], Bishop of St Asaph (1889–1934) and first [[Archbishop of Wales]]
==See also== * [[List of deans of St Asaph]]—chronological list
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://stasaphcathedral.wales St Asaph Cathedral website] *[http://imagingthebible.llgc.org.uk//site/90 Artwork at St Asaph Cathedral] {{Cathedrals of the Church in Wales}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Asaph Cathedral}} [[Category:Anglican cathedrals in Wales]] [[Category:Pre-Reformation Roman Catholic cathedrals]] [[Category:Grade I listed churches in Denbighshire]] [[Category:St Asaph]] [[Category:Grade I listed cathedrals in Wales]] [[Category:13th-century church buildings in Wales]]