St Davids
St Davids, or St David's,[2][3] (Welsh: Tyddewi, [tɨː ˈðɛwi], lit. "David's house"), is the smallest city in the United Kingdom, with about 1,841 people living there, as of the 2011 census.[4][5][6] It is also a community called St Davids and the Cathedral Close. It is in Pembrokeshire, Wales on the River Alun. It is where Saint David is buried, who is the patron saint of Wales. St Davids first became a city in the 12th century, but it was demoted in 1886. In the UK, the monarch gives or takes away whether a place is a city or not. In 1994, Queen Elizabeth II made St Davids a city again.
| St Davids | |
| Welsh: Tyddewi | |
| — City — | |
 Flag |
|
 St Davids Cathedral |
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| Area | 17.93 sq mi (46.4 km2) (community) 0.23 sq mi (0.60 km2) (urban area) |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,841 [1] (2011) |
| - Density | 103/sq mi (40/km2) |
| OS grid reference | SM755255 |
| Community | St Davids and the Cathedral Close |
| Principal area | Pembrokeshire |
| Ceremonial county | Dyfed |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HAVERFORDWEST |
| Postcode district | SA62 |
| Dialling code | 01437 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Preseli Pembrokeshire |
| Welsh Assembly | Preseli Pembrokeshire |
| |
History
In the 6th century, Saint David started a monastery and church on the banks of the River Alun at a place called Glyn Rhosyn (Rose Vale). The area was first called Mynyw in Welsh. The Romans called it Meneva or Menevia. The people of the monastery grew food and did other crafts, like beekeeping. They also fed the poor.[7]
The area that grew around the monastery became known in Welsh as Tyddewi, which means "David's house". In 519, the archbishop of Caerleon was moved to the monastery. Tyddewi was renamed "St Davids" in name of the saint who founded the place.[8] The first cathedral that was built was attacked many times by the Vikings, and burned down in 1087. The cathedral that is there now was built by the Normans. Many pilgrims travelled to St Davids because Saint David was from there.[8]
St Davids Media
The landscape around St Davids is scattered with ancient monuments, such as this Menhir near St Non's chapel.
The Afon Alun in modern times, where Saint David founded his church and monastery
St Davids depicted on Speed's 1610 map of Wales
Cross Square, St Davids in 1971
Map of St. Davids in Pembrokeshire, Wales, demonstrating the size of the settlement, compared to its wider city boundary. Also indicated are isolated hamlets and offshore islands.* Community/city boundaries* Main settlement area
City Hall, St David's
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References
- ↑ Office for National Statistics Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine 2011 census – St David's and the Cathedral Close C
- ↑ Parish Headcounts for Pembrokeshire Archived 10 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine (based on 2001 Census) at Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2011-08-01
- ↑ As specified in New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors OUP 2005. The name is often spelt without its possessive apostrophe, including by the St Davids City Council Archived 1 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "St Davids".
- ↑ "Office for National Statistics 2011 – census – St David's and the Cathedral Close C". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ "GENUKI: St David's". Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
- ↑ Jones, Rhys James (28 February 1994). "Saint David and Saint David's Day". Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Anon (1837). "David's, St". The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. London: Charles Knight and Co. 7–8: 317. Retrieved 21 June 2012.