England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Bangor St Deiniol

The Parish

The parish of Bangor lies in the north of Caernarvonshire, indeed it forms part of Caernarvonshire's northern coast with both the Irish Sea and also the Menai Straits, as such via its bridges it also forms part of the boundary with neighbouring Anglesey. Bangor is an ancient cathedral city (St Deiniol or Daniel) with a foundation tradition back to at least the 6th century. Bangor today is a relatively small city about 12 miles west of the fortified town of Conway and sitting astride the A55 & A5 roads which runs along the north coast of Wales from Chester and northwestwards from London onwards to Anglesey. Bangor became an ecclesiastical centre in around 546 when Deiniol became Bishop of Gwynedd, if this supposition is correct then Bangor is the oldest such seat in the combined Wales and England. Prior to the 19th century Bangor was a rather small ecclesiastical centre and port, its growth not helped during mediaeval times by being repeatedly sacked by troubles between Welsh and English but with modern communications came a surge in growth as rail and roads arrived en route to Holyhead and Ireland. Modern Bangor has spread southwestwards along the Menai Straits and its university is a popular destination for study and a major employer within the city. Bangor largely turns its face to the Menai Straits rather than the Irish Sea but the New Pier carries on a tradition of life as a port. AS a coastal settlement there is little drainage of relevance although the Afon Cegin does flow through the eastern suburb of Maesgeirchen. Bangor old town (the cathedral) is sited at just 15 metres above the sea although land rises steeply to reach 117 metres just a bit to the east. Welsh parishes are typically large in extant and Bangor is no exception, it covered around 6,500 acres and would have supported a population of around 7,200 parishioners most of whom would have been within the city boundaries. In common with most of Wales there is no mention of Bangor in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

The Cathedral of St Deiniol stands in the heart of Bangor's old town just to the south of the former winding route of the A5 through the city. The Cathedral was founded reputably in the 6th century but has seen considerable repair, renewal and almost complete reconstruction over the centuries. Much of the present building dates from the recreation of 1866 which endeavoured to, at least, restore the original layout and plan of the cruciform building. The oldest remaining parts of the building prior to the 14th century are mere fragments, the western end and tower being the earliest substantial remainder. Here the date is 14th century much restored in the 15th and 16th following damage incurred during Owain Glyndwr's uprising against the English. The tower itself was added in 1532 and Pevsner states that it is more reminiscent of a "market town church" than a Cathedral. The entire eastern end of the church was rebuilt in 1866 although some portions of the stonework were reused. The site is enclosed quite tightly by city premises and distant views are difficult to obtain, that from Glanrafon perhaps being the best to appreciate the layout. Photographic angles to encompass the entire layout are nonexistent due to this enclosure.