Llandaff Cathedral, Wales, UK

EGLWYS GADEIRIOL LLANDAF

One of our objectives in this European school partnership named "Kaleidoscope", is to show diversity in unity.

This time it’s diversity in Christian unity.

During our third project meeting, we visited Llandaff Cathedral in Wales, UK.

Since 1922 Cardiff has included the suburban cathedral ’village’ of Llandaff, whose bishop is also Archbishop of Wales since 2002.

All pictures are ours, but to help you understand them there are 2 PDF documents: a map


MAP

and a text

You can also click on the official website.

Unlike most Welsh churches, Llandaff is not named after a saint, but rather the area in which it is located. The name translates as "Church on the River Taff." Situated on one of the oldest Christian sites in the British Isles, the cathedral was begun in the 12th century but rebuilt and modified over and over again throughout its history.

Photograph and text Jacqueline Banerjee, 2009

" In restoring the collapsed southwest tower, Prichard and Seddon wanted harmony above all. Generally known as "Prichard’s Tower,"

West front on the left; Early Gothic

Prichard south-west Tower, 1867, and spire, on the right.

this part of the cathedral is much admired, especially as Llandaff is unusual in having two towers at the west front.

John Prichard

"bearing the mighty tower"

Prichard himself is depicted at the head of one of the new supporting columns, "bearing the mighty tower on his shoulders" (Davies 7). A brass plaque nearby, in what is now the cathedral shop area, reads: "In Memory of the Great Architect J. Prichard, Restorer of This Cathedral. Born May 6 1817. Died October 13 1886." Prichard is buried along with his father (for 35 years vicar-choral of the cathedral) on the south-east side of the cathedral, beyond the Chapter House (see Ellis). "


Christ in Majesty: by Sir Jacob Epstein, 1957, surmounting the parabolic Arch by G. Pace.