Welcome to
St Asaph Cathedral
Worship lies at the heart of everything in the life and work of this ancient cathedral where prayers have been offered daily for 1,450 years. All are welcome to join us for any of our services. We welcome visitors and pilgrims of all faiths and none to explore the rich history of this beautiful building.
Services this week:
Music
Music has been offered in St Asaph Cathedral for centuries. We extend warm hospitality to all those wishing to be involved in the musical life of the Cathedral.
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St Asaph Cathedral Choir
St Asaph Cathedral Choir dates back to the late 13th Century and today continues to play a significant role in both the liturgical and musical life of the Cathedral and Diocese.
Saturday 6 June 7pm
Music lists
Music lists
Elwy Mission Area and Cathedral Music Lists are available to view or download. Services may be subject to change.
History
Llanelwy is the Welsh name for the place called St Asaph. It means the sacred religious enclosure on the banks of the River Elwy. It is impossible to give an historically accurate account of the beginnings of Christianity in the early settlement at Llanelwy. Legend and tradition are confusingly mixed and there is no archaeological evidence or written record before the twelfth century.
The Thirteenth Century
The site chosen at Llanelwy was in a perilous position being on the ‘war path’ of the Welsh Princes and English Kings. How much destruction the new building suffered in the thirteenth century is not known. Some of the early building work begun by bishop Hugh (1235-40) has survived in the gables and chamfered buttresses on the west front, the south west corner buttresses, and the walls of the early English choir.
The Fourteenth Century
The great age of rebuilding took place between 1284 and 1392. The exterior of the Cathedral reveals the different kind of stone used. Carboniferous fine-grained yellowish sandstone was quarried at Flint or Talacre and used for the outer casing of the walls and for mullions and other carved work.
The Fifteenth Century
In 1402 the Cathedral was visited by Owain Glyndwr and his rebels who wrought havoc. Browne Willis left a vivid description of the calamity.
The Chirch Cathedral of Saint Asaph, with the steple, bells, quere, porch, and vestiary, with all other contentis, chaliz, vestiments, and other ornaments, as the bokes, stalls, deskes, altres, and all the aparaill longging to the same chirch, was brent and utterly destroyed, and in likewys the byshop’s palays and all his other three mannoirs no styke left.
Supporting us
We are indebted to both individuals and organisations who provide generous support for the work, music and ministry of this ancient cathedral. We depend on your ongoing support.
