[3]: 159 The church was founded by St Gwynllyw, who lived in the later fifth century, after the Roman occupation, at a time when Wales was beginning to develop a national identity.

Later in life, he converted to Christianity, having been told in a dream to follow a white ox to the prominent hill where he built a church, probably of wood.

The shape and footprint of this original church is reflected over 1500 years later in St Mary's chapel at the west end of the cathedral.

[5]: 17–42 A much greater transformation took place at the site in the later twelfth century when a large new church was built in the Romanesque style with round-headed arches, favoured by the Normans.

[5] St Gwynllyw's church remained prominent on its hill-top in a rural location, well outside the town boundaries and its defensive gates.

[9] This chapel is a place to savour the established tradition of Celtic Christianity in Wales, which long predates the arrival of St Augustine to convert England.

Towards the west end of the chapel is a splendid Victorian reconstruction of a Romanesque font based on a surviving fragment of the original which has been incorporated in the later work.

[13] One theory is that they had been brought here at a rather earlier date to form part of the shrine which may have previously existed over Gwynllyw’s grave and subsequently relocated into the portal to lead the way into the new building.

The style of the hair and tunics on the figures on the north (left-hand) capital echoes fourth-century Roman art which suggests that we are indeed contemplating sculpture which looks back to the very earliest phase of Christianity in Britain.

While the principal aim here was to increase the capacity of the church, it might also have been a reaction to fire damage caused during an attack of followers of Owain Glyndwr in 1402, in his attempt to re-establish an independent Wales.

[5]: 23–4  Supporting this theory is a tree-ring date (dendrochronology) of the early fifteenth century recently given to the fine medieval wagon roof of the nave.

The architect of the extensions was Alban Caroe, whose distinguished family architectural partnership also undertook important work over several generations in Wales and elsewhere.

Some regard his design as rather lacking in originality, but it does harmonise with the medieval fabric of the cathedral and the scale of the windows provide plenty of light.

[8]: 44  A modern figure of the Crucified Christ now hangs in the chancel arch, the work of the Singaporean artist Tay Swee Siong.

[8]: 43 Apart from two abstract twentieth century windows by Frank Roper in the north side of St Mary's Chapel, the glass is Victorian and Edwardian.

The cathedral choir consists of three separate groups of singers: boys and girl choristers and adults, providing alto, tenor and bass parts.

Former Organists/Choirmasters Former assistant organists During the Chartist Uprising in favour of democratic rights which centred on Newport on 4 November 1839, at least 22 people were shot by a party of the 45th Regiment of Foot in front of the Westgate Hotel.

[20] A sculpture of a large pair of nineteenth-century workman's boots is placed near the gates to the north-east of the memorial to commemorate the march of the Chartists.