David (Dewi)

Places

Numerous place-names and churches suggest the widespread importance of David across the southern half of Wales, many of which reflect the extent of the Diocese of St Davids (prior to the creation of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in 1923). Within this area, dedications are concentrated on the northern Pembrokeshire, southern Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Radnorshire and Breconshire north of the Beacons. There are further dedications across Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, extending up to the Herefordshire border and across it, in a small group around Much Dewchurch. The geography of the cult of David is described in detail in an article by Heather James (2007).

Further dedications to David occur beyond Wales in Ireland, Cornwall and Brittany, and even in Scotland, although David, king of Scotland from 1127–1153 is perhaps the more likely patron. In Wales, it has also been suggested that dedications to David in south-east Wales and Herefordshire could also be to one or more other Davids, such as individuals of the name listed in the twelfth-century Llandaff charters.

By the time that new churches were being built in the nineteenth century, David was well established as the patron saint of Wales, and consequently many new churches for Anglican and Roman Catholic congregations were dedicated to David, across the whole of Wales. In some cases, new churches built for Welsh-speaking congregations are notable for their adoption of David as patron, for example in central Cardiff (church built 1888–9), Penmaenmawr (1897) and Colwyn Bay (1902–3). In addition to St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Cardiff is also dedicated to David. The importance of David as the patron saint of Wales has also led to Nonconformist congregations adopting David as the patron of their chapels, which is virtually unknown in the case of other Welsh saints.

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