New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-16
A VILLAGE CATHEDRAL
Pointer for American Tourists.
st. Davids Near Fishguard
st. David's Ma /,

r.
at hand 70 match Liverpool's Chas.~
I ST. David's. while only sixteen 49,
| from the landing place for cun.-s
I passengers. is not equally accssssbl.
There is neither railway servics -.
/ coaching line from F'ishguard. and a.
Haverford West there are primitiva =
cIlities for reaching it--an old-fashier.,
stage coach behind a pair Of hacks a.s
| a half-crown fare, with the prfvjlsz. !.
walking up seventeen hills in the eo,,,.
Of sixteen miles.
| The charges Of the Fishguard ro,,.
garages are high-3O shillings FOR +.
days journey. with short outinx ).
| the cathedral town. These condifc..
will be altered as soon az Ans-~,
/ tourists find in st. David's a good u,,
stitute for Chester. With Rotor 'bu..,
rafting over the bleak coast roads. n.
remote but intensely interesting villan
cathedral will become a link in n.
American itinerary
/ If tourists include st. David's in ia.
| circuit Of summer travel they must N,
I
exquisite beauty FREDERICKSBURG is n.
like Hampshire on the run to Londoa
/ from Southampton. nor like wild Oar.
moor on the circuit from Plymouth. II
/ is a desolate, wind-swept coast wlthous
artistic grouping Of trees. verdan.
hedgerows and lanes. stone cottages
thatched roofs, embattled towers and
/ the other evidences Of perfect finish seen
in the picturesque English shires.
I In the spring and early summer IL has
only one glory afeld-golden gorse in TIA
barren levels and grass-grown stOns
walls; and afterward there is another
splendor equally royal-heathar in past.
ures and meadows. AS masses Of g0rss
and heather cannot be a substitute fer
trees. variety of foliage and Iandscaps
gardening. drive through Pembroke
shire is likely to be disappointing to
/ newcomers. There is rolling table
/ land Of meadows and titled ground. with
/ gIimpses Of blue sea between rugged
/ tors and rock-bound headlands. II Is &
bleak and bare country exposed o.
storms and gray and sombre in coIoE-
| ing-a land Of ruined castles and men,
cries of medieval saints
| It is this adaptation Of life and aren't.
/ lecture to environment that imparz
human interest TO the village and to ths
cathedral St. David's is called by cour-
| tesy a city. but in reality it is de-
/ cadent village with three roads. and L
is hidden away in a hollow mile from
| the. coast in the westernmost corner Of
South Wales Like the hermit saints I:
shrinks from observation From TIA
/ Haverford West side there is one modern
innovation beyond ST. Roch's ancient
! tower. This is pretentiOus sch0e.
building. as completely out Of touch
with the environment as the faring red
memorial theatre at Stratford IS win
| the tranquil beauty OF Shakespeare
/ warwickshire- From the F1shguara
road there are distant glimpses OF the
| tors around ST. David's Head. and Il
! is not until the cottages are elosey
approached that the shy. reticent village
Is seen: and there is nothing at first
glance except a few rows OF humble.
diIapidated dwellings, with here ard
there a shop ashamed 70 advertise is
wares.
It is a verftable Sleepy Hollow with'
out willows or aspens- There Is an
ancient cross where the roads meet. and
there are lanes and paths running Que
TO the coast with it's stretches Of Whlla
sand and blackened cliffs Even me
villagers as they pass the cross Of
gossip in front of their doorways have
a subdued and pensive air. as though
they were living on faded memories.s :.
The cathedral is there. but the visitos
| in his first walk has to hunt for H.
small as the village may be- Even VIA
it's massive tower il is concealed in
lowest depth of the hollow where tne'f
is a tiny brook Abruptly the stroiiS
sees the upper course OF masoHn
looming up out of the valley. and tarH'
ing into a circuitous alley and passhs
through a Norman gateway ne
amazed by the austere beauty OF 'ls
cathedral lying below him and shrihA-
| ing out of sight. The ruins OF a
episcopal palace and a college Sll.
banqueting hall. parapet. arcade anu anu,
chapel are around IL. but the catneals.
itself after battling with fire, sto'1A.
earthquake. spoliation and neglect
complete and invincibIe. in synpstI
with the grandeur Of the barren eoas'
and with the isolation of the rocs-
strewn hollow. yet triumphant N -
guardianship of an ancient snlA'
HopeIesslv behind the times. the
builders reverted to transition Norman
when their rivals were Introducing pc
pendicular gothic. and the nave. "s''
front and transept turrets are nidSS'.s
and stern and in keeping with me ~
vironment-
The Older architecture imparS
stronger character 70 the structurs. =.
rich decorative treatment IS not ta0A--s
either without or within. ExteFh1
there are feIicitOus blends in Norman -
Gothic work in nave. tower. transep'
presbytery and chapels, and tnefe -
really magnificent interior. with 'oo-s
ornamented arches, varied ereets q
and blue stone. quarried near ey On =
coast, a fretted roof OF gray oah =
decorative notes drawn from the gu
and heather OF the countryside
The visitors wonder grows when, - -.
surveying the many chapelled -caths'. s..
from the round bastiOn OF the thir'ss''-,
century gateway. he descends tne -
fight of stone steps and goes Witih"
~. ..,,,.,,... - thu architecture