St David's Chapel

St David's Chapel is reached through an archway to the right of the sanctuary. As you enter you will see the Canterbury Stone - a block of Caen stone used in the earliest Norman section of that great cathedral. This chapel was one of the earliest parts of the cathedral to be completed. It is a memorial to all who died in the South African War (1899-1902). In addition, it has numerous associations with Wales, such as the figure of St David, patron saint of Wales, above the altar. The small stained glass window of St David, by Karl Parsons, was in memory of Lady Philipps' brother, who died during the war. Another figure of St David is in bas-relief on the wall.

Several relics of regiments associated with Cape Town are in this chapel. Above the treasury are two kettledrums of the Cape Mounted Riflemen and the personal standard of the Earl of Athlone (a former Governor-General of the old Union of South Africa). Also displayed are the regimental colours of the South African Regiment, 5th South African Infantry, Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles, 12th South African Infantry, the 'Dukes' regimental colour of 1905, Cape Medical Corps, Prince Alfred's Own Cape Artillery, the First World War colours of the 1st South African Infantry, another 'Dukes' regimental colour and the 1st Regiment of the South African Infantry Overseas Brigade of 1915. The fading and tattered colours hanging in the chapel are not intended to be preserved. When their military life is over they are 'laid up' to perish. Some visitors find these relics of colonial regiments and wars strange, and even offensive, in today's situation. However they are all part of our history and so have been retained.

The set of wrought-iron gates at the end of St David's Chapel were made by John Stevens and are a memorial to Archbishop John Russell Darbyshire.

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