St Asaph

St Asaph The City of St Asaph, Denbighshire / Dinas a chymuned yn Sir Ddinbych Teeth and part of a jawbone excavated in 1981 were dated to 225,000 years ago.

The earliest inhabitants of the vale of Elwy lived in the nearby Paleolithic site of Pontnewydd (Bontnewydd), which was excavated from 1978 by a team from the University of Wales, led by Dr Stephen Aldhouse Green. This site is the most north-western site in Eurasia for remains of early hominids and is considered of international importance. Based on the morphology and age of the teeth, particularl

y the evidence of tauradontism, the teeth are believed to belong to a group of Neanderthals who hunted game in the vale of Elwy in an interglacial period. Later some historians postulate that the Roman fort of Varae sat on the site of the Cathedral. However, the city is believed to have developed around a sixth-century Celtic monastery founded by Saint Kentigern, and is now home to the small fourteenth century St Asaph Cathedral. This is dedicated to Saint Asaph (also spelt in Welsh as Asaff), its second bishop. The Cathedral has had a chequered history. In the thirteenth century, the troops of Edward I of England burnt the cathedral almost to the ground and, in 1402, Owain Glyndŵr's troops went on the rampage causing severe damage to the furnishings and fittings. Two hundred and fifty years later, during the Commonwealth the building was used to house farm animals – pigs, cattle and horses. The Laws in Wales Act 1535 placed St Asaph in Denbighshire. However, in 1542, St Asaph was placed in Flintshire for voting purposes. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996 it was part of non-metropolitan Clwyd. As the seat of an ancient cathedral and diocese, St Asaph was historically regarded as a city, and the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica refers to it as a city on that basis; by the end of the 20th century the relationship between possessing a cathedral and automatic entitlement to city status had been broken, and the town was no longer regarded as a city. The town applied for restoration of city status in competitions held by the government in 2000 (for the Millennium) and 2002 (Queen's Golden Jubilee) but was unsuccessful. In 2012 it again competed for the right to become a city as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It was announced on 14 March 2012 that the application was successful and city status was to be bestowed upon St Asaph alongside Chelmsford and Perth. The status was formally granted by letters patent dated 1 June 2012.

02/04/2026
02/04/2026
02/04/2026
02/04/2026
02/04/2026
02/04/2026

First photo of the King and Queen in St Asaph!
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are attending the Royal Maundy Service at St Asaph Cathedral in North Wales. It is the first time the Royal Maundy Service has been held in Wales since 1982 and only the second time in its history.
Follow the LIVE BLOG on our website now for more photos, video and reaction as it happens.

02/04/2026
02/04/2026

01/04/2026

ROYAL VISIT: ST ASAPH CATHEDRAL

Just a reminder again about the road closures/parking at St Asaph tonight and tomorrow due to the Royal visit to the Cathedral for the Maundy Thursday Service:

📆Wednesday, 1 April: Parking places along the entire length of High Street and on Chester Street near the junction with the A525 will be suspended from this evening. Drivers are requested to ensure no vehicles are left in these places overnight.

📆 Thursday 2 April: Closure of the entire length of High Street between the hours of 6am – 2pm

Whilst the closure is in place traffic will be directed on an alternative route of the B5381 Lower Denbigh Road and the A525 Upper Denbigh Road. Traffic is advised to avoid the area if possible. Pedestrian access through the closed section of road will be maintained throughout the period of the restriction.

Thank you.

North Wales Police

Traffig Cymru Gogledd a Chanolbarth Traffic Wales North & Mid

01/04/2026

YMWELIAD BRENHINOL: CADEIRLAN LLANELWY

Dim ond nodyn i’ch atgoffa eto am y ffyrdd fydd ar gau a’r trefniadau parcio yn Llanelwy heno ac yfory oherwydd yr ymweliad Brenhinol â’r Gadeirlan ar gyfer Gwasanaeth Dydd Iau y Cablyd:

📆 Dydd Mercher, 1 Ebrill: Bydd lleoedd parcio ar hyd y Stryd Fawr yn ei gyfanrwydd ac ar Stryd Gaer ger y gyffordd â’r A525 yn cael eu hatal o heno ymlaen. Gofynnir i yrwyr sicrhau nad oes unrhyw gerbydau’n cael eu gadael yn y mannau hyn dros nos.

📆 Dydd Iau, 2 Ebrill: Bydd y Stryd Fawr gyfan ar gau rhwng 6am a 2pm.

Tra bo’r ffordd ar gau, bydd traffig yn cael ei gyfeirio ar lwybr amgen ar hyd y B5381 Ffordd Isaf Dinbych a’r A525 Ffordd Uchaf Dinbych. Cynghorir traffig i osgoi’r ardal os yn bosibl. Bydd mynediad i gerddwyr drwy’r rhan o’r ffordd sydd ar gau yn cael ei gynnal drwy gydol cyfnod y cyfyngiad.

Diolch yn fawr.

01/04/2026

The King and Queen will visit the region for the Royal Maundy Service tomorrow. Here’s everything you need to know about this once‑in‑a‑lifetime event 👇

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High Street
Saint Asaph
LL170RG

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