1. The close, or precincts of the Cathedral of St David's, occupies an irregular area, some 300m across, within the valley of the Alun; a map of 1720 (reproduced in CADW guide to the Bishop's Palace) is thought to substantially depict the later medieval arrangements: bounded by precinct walls of a military aspect (Nprn305384): the Cathedral (Nprn306), set within its churchyard, occupies the central part of the close south of the river, with the former bell-tower, now incorporated into the Porth-y-Twr in the precinct walls, set on the edge of the valley above; the Cathedral school (Nprn32110) was situated on the west of the churchyard: north of the Cathedral are the extensive remains of St Mary's College (Nprn305386), with scant traces beyond of the Vicar's College; south-west of the Cathedral the present Deanery (Nprn21865) is thought to incorporate elements of the earlier 'Chaunter's' house & offices, with the site of the Archdeacon of Carmarthen's house & offices and the Chaunter's Orchard to the north (Nprn21595; 30183): north of the river the Bishop's Palace & its grounds (Nprn21633) occupy the western quadrant of the close, to the east of which were the houses & grounds of the Archdeacons of St Davids & Brecon (see Nprn21597; 21650), of the Treasurer (see Nprn22659) & Chancelllor (Nprn21706): other features include bridges over the Alun (Nprn24265; 24282) & river walls (Nprn32495-6).
Part of:
City of St David's (Nprn268104).
J.Wiles 20.01.05

2. St Davids cathedral sits at the heart of a very old and largely intact close, encircled by a strong wall with fortified gates. The close contains the fine ruins of a once lavish Bishop's Palace, now a protected ancient monument, and a complex of houses and lodgings for the archdeacons and other clerics to the north of the cathedral. Also within the close are a cemetery, a silted fish pond and original tracts of meadow unencumbered by any later development or infilling. The entire complex is still bisected by the River Alun, which is crossed by a ford in the centre below the cathedral. When Fenton visited he wrote: `This close was in circuit twelve hundred yards, had a walk round with a crenelled parapet. The entrance was by four handsome gateways or porths, answering to the four cardinal points'' The present wall was probably that built by Bishop Bek (1280-93), and of the four fortified gates, Porth Boning on the north side, Porth Gwyn on the north-west, Porth Padrig to the south and the twin towers of Porth y T'r to the east, the latter can still be seen and still functions as a main entrance from the city.
Extract from: Driver, T. 2007. Pembrokeshire, Historic Landscapes from the Air, RCAHMW, Chapter 4.
T. Driver, 28 June 2007.