Wales - Bangor Cathedral - choir - Bangor Cathedral, situated on the south side of the Menia Straits which separates the isle of Anglesey from the mainland of north Wales, may be the only Cathedral in the United Kingdom to have been in continuous use since its conception. It is one of the earliest monastic settlements in all of the UK. being founded by St. Deiniol in the year 525; when Deiniol was consecrated Bishop in 546 his church became a Cathedral - About the year 530AD a man of noble birth named Deiniol settled on this site. Having been given land, probably by Maelgwn, King of Gwynedd, he enclosed it with a fence constructed by driving poles into the ground and weaving branches in between them. The native technical term for this type of fence was 'bangor'. Within this enclosure Deiniol built his church. He and his followers erected huts or cells in which to live. They were missionaries, going about to evangelise and encouraging others to join them. All who came, individuals and families, built their own dwelling places and all would worship together in the little church. Thus a Celtic monastery or Clas was formed. As sometimes happens, the word 'bangor' was transferred from the original object - in this case the fence - to that closely associated with it - the settlement within. That is how Bangor got its name.