UK, St Davids – The Smallest Town in Great Britain
Published: 16.5.2022
St Davids is less than 2,000 inhabitants, making it the smallest town in the UK. Most of its area is occupied by the Cathedral of St. David and the premises associated with it. This building also helped the city to its unusual status, it is the largest church building in Wales and it houses the remains of St. David, so obviously can not be part of the village, but the city.
St. David is the patron saint of Wales, so it is no wonder that the inhabitants of this wild and quaint region are duly proud of the charming coastal town. His history began around 500 AD, when a son named David was born on the nearby Caerfai beach of Saint Nona. The child was the result of the brutal rape committed by a local nobleman on Nona. So far not far from this beach is the ruins of the house and well in which St. David grew up. Situated directly above the rocky cliffs above the sea, it is just past it that part of the famous Pembrokeshire coastal trail.
The monastery, which lies on the banks of the river Alyn, was founded in 550 AD. It was a minor diocese, in which the monks dealt primarily with beekeeping, agriculture and voluntary assistance to all those who needed it. It was at this time that the complex of buildings that surrounded the monastery at that time and which later became the city was called St Davids, just after the founder and patron of the monastery.
Today's appearance of the monastery is based on Norman architecture. The original buildings were destroyed in the 11th century by conquering Viking raids, which at that time plagued the coast of Pembrokeshire. The town of St Davids was already a very important pilgrimage site, and despite the devastating destruction, it was possible to finance the construction of the cathedral, which is many times larger and more opulent than the original monastery. Inside the cathedral you can see the original oak wood ceiling and of course the remains of its patron.
The best day to visit is March 1, as it is the day of the patron saint of the city and all of Wales. On this day, all orthodox Welsh people pin the flower of the narcissus, which is the national flower of the county, into the lapel of their coat, and hang up the flags of St. David from the windows of their brick houses, which are sometimes used instead of the national flag. Such is the love of the locals for the saint. Of course you can come here anytime.
GPS: 51°52'55.7"N 5°16'08.3"W
Text and photos: Barbara Nováková
Related Articles
Published: 9.11.2019
Cadair Idris is 893 meters high. It is located in the southern part of Snowdonia National Park and is located in northwest Wales. It is considered by many to be the second most beautiful and significant mountain in the area (just after the highest peak of Wales, Snowdon). The advantage is its significantly lesser fame, on the slopes you do not meet many tourists and you can enjoy undisturbed beautiful views of the surrounding wild landscape.
Published: 6.6.2022
Today, we spend a day in the city of Bath. The city is located in Avon Valley between the Mendip Hills and the Cotswolds Hills. The name of the city is linked to its purpose. The city lays on 2 thousand yer old Roman baths. Moreover, the city features amazing Georgian houses which are incredibly well preserved. The city was listed in UNESCO's world heritage in 1987.
Published: 23.5.2022
Are you fascinated by Scottish castles? Against the dark sky, walls with gothic windows over the centuries lashed with rain and overgrown with rich green grass provoke our imagination longing to know at least a small piece of their stories. Castles and ruins of churches, monasteries and medieval buildings built from the local dark stone are a typical decoration of the beautiful and dramatic Scottish landscape.
Published: 26.10.2019
Pembrokeshire Coast is one of the three National Parks in Wales. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, less than 300 km long, runs through the park and attracts many walkers and coastal fauna and flora every year. It is a landscape full of rugged and cliffs which are very typical in almost all of Britain, sandy beaches, wooded delta rivers, from which the landscape rises further inland to the tops of local mountains.
Published: 4.8.2017
Birmingham is known mostly to the fans of sports for it was here where the European league was born as well as the sport of tennis (in the end of 1850s). The city was founded in the times of Anglo-Saxon immigraiton. However, it became the center of trade only in the mid 12th century.
Published: 6.10.2017
Brighton is the most popular and famous sea resort on the English Channel. Once, this large city was a simple fishing village which became increasingly popular among English nobility in the 18th century. They travelled here to breathe fresh sea air and relax in luxurious spa. Today, Brighton is open to anyone. Its pebble beaches are lined with souvenire stores and various attractions.
Published: 20.9.2013
Bristol is a large English city and an unitary authority where live around 400, one million people respectively.
Published: 22.9.2017
The famous cathedral belongs to the greatest sights in the city. It is the seat of the archbishop of Canterbury, the highest church official of the Church of England. However, Canterbury has been important Christian location for a long time. In the early Middle Ages, St Augustin baptised Anglo-Saxons. In 597, he became the first English bishop. His grave lays close to the city walll. Its importance surpasses even that of the cathedral itself.
Published: 26.2.2017
If you want to enjoy atmosphere of traditional England, its stone houses and glittering sea in the background mark the area of southern Devonshire.
Published: 29.9.2017
Lincolnshire is the destination for today. It is located in east England. The main city is Lincoln which along with Windsor, Warwick, Canterbury, London and York belongs to the most important historic cities of England. The city is home to 130 thousand people. It lays on the River Witham with amazing cathedral rising above buildings around. The center of the city features historic houses, fortification built by the Normans, and you may even see remains of ancient Roman architecture.
Published: 4.7.2014
Last week we have seen one of the most famous district of London, Soho. Once it was a red light district. Today, however, we move on.
Published: 27.6.2014
After or Genoa walks we move northwest, to Great Britain and its capital, London.
Published: 11.7.2014
After the visit at beautiful Trafalgar Square we continue to see another sights in London.
Published: 11.7.2017
Once, London was the largest city in the world. They ruled the entire British empire from here. Precious goods was imported from all around the world and ships departed for adventure and came back later. Today, people from all around the world come here – either to trade, work, admire amazing sights, enjoy local atmosphere or get a taste of world's cuisine.
Published: 18.8.2017
Today, we continue in our getting around Manchester. First, we visit Heaton Park. Its 250 hectares makes it the largest park in Manchester. At the heart of the park, there is Heaton Hall, a neo-classical chateau made of sand stone. It is not open to the public at the present. In the park, there are many original buildings which received renovation. Moreover, there is a golf course, a observatory, or a museum.
Published: 14.6.2013
A fort of the Taff. This is the meaning of the name of the capital of Wales, which is a major part of the kingdom of Great Britain. About 3 million people live in Wales.
Related Photogallery
A mysterios seaport time in the southeast of Scotland is place where movie legends such as Sherlo...
Information and warnings on travelling abroad is to be found HERE.
