History of Bangor

By Iolo Griffiths

The history of the city of Bangor in Gwynedd,north west Wales, from its origins as a small monastic settlement to a cathedral town, and the present university town and centre of culture and commerce

• Language: English
• Publisher: Iolo Griffiths
• Release date: Mar 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386895718

Iolo Griffiths

Iolo Griffiths was brought up in Anglesey, lives in North Wales and has been working for Trinity Mirror North Wales since 1987, firstly as a librarian and then proofreader, and then a journalist. He is now a Community Content Curator for Trinity Mirror North Wales His main interests are genealogy and local history (mainly North West Wales)

Book preview

Introduction

The city of Bangor might seem small compared to most other cities, but it can at least claim to be one of the most ancient cities in Great Britain due to the age of its cathedral.

Its picturesque position by the Menai Strait, and convenience for the main route from London to Anglesey and Ireland has made it a major commercial and communication centre for a large area of Gwynedd and Anglesey.

Its other major claim to fame is the University college, which gives credence to the proud claim one will see on signs on the A55, Bangor, City of Learning.

It also has the major hospital for north-west Wales, and until recently was a cultural centre, and while the cinema and theatre have gone, it is hoped that this status can be restored with the building of a new arts centre.

The history of the city properly starts with the founding of the Cathedral in 525 AD.

Although there is an open space with fine views  at Ffordd Garth Uchaf, above Menai Road, in Upper Bangor, called the Roman camp, the actual evidence for Roman origins are rather scanty, and may be treated with some scepticism.

The Cathedral

Although Bangor’s cathedral is only the size of a large parish church, and its position in the city centre is not particularly prominent, it can nevertheless claim to be one of the oldest cathedrals in Great Britain.

The site goes back to 525 AD, when St Deiniol settled a community there, with the aim of evangelising Gwynedd. The word Bangor means a wattled fence. Such fences often surrounded monastic communities, and by extension the word for the fence came to be applied to the community which lay inside it.

When Deiniol became a Bishop in 546 AD, the church in turn became a cathedral, but the only remains from these early days are some graves found in 1925 across the river in College Park, near Theatr Gwynedd, and a building believed to be a small medieval church.

The Monastery at Bangor was sacked in 631 (or 634 according to the Annals of Ulster).

Bangor’s cathedral became the burial place of many of the princes of Gwynedd, including Owain Gwynedd, and also of other prominent figures such as Tudur ap Goronwy ap Tudur, an ancestor of the Tudor dynasty.

It has suffered many vicissitudes in its long history, including being destroyed by the Normans in 1071. The Norman Earl of Chester, Hugh of Avranches, briefly occupied North Wales from 1088 to  1094, and built a motte and bailey castle at Bangor, the so-called Roman Camp. In 1092 the Normans installed their own candidate, Herve the Breton, into the vacant see of Bangor. As would be expected, this alien bishop was much resented by the Welsh, and his reign was brief. When Gruffydd ap Cynan returned from exile and in conjunction with Viking Magnus Barefoot, defeated the Norman Earls at Aberlleiniog, near Beaumaris, Herve was forced to beat a hasty retreat to the see of Ely. Rebuilding of Bangor Cathedral started in 1102, and  continued again in 1130.

The cathedral was visited by Gerald of Wales in 1188, when he and Archbishop Baldwin were touring Wales to preach the crusade, with the Archbishop celebrating communion at the High Altar.

The cathedral was ravaged in 1202 and 1211 by order of King John during the wars with Llewelyn Prince of Gwynedd, but John subsequently repented, and gave liberally to its restoration. A ransom of 200 hawks was paid to King John for the release of the Bishop.

The South transept was completed circa 1275.

The church suffered again and at the end of the 13th century it was almost in total ruin, but Bishop Anian I, with the help of Edward I, took steps to restore it, so that it was more magnificent than it had ever been before. The east end and north transept were completed around 1300 and a small Lady Chapel was added.

In 1309 the central tower burnt down.

Many of the Bishops and Deans of Bangor were patrons of bards, as were many of the