Rare 1588 Welsh Bible to go on public display in Wales for first time
Described as being of exceptional historical significance, it is the first complete translation of the Bible into the Welsh language.
Monday 16 June 2025 11:27, UK
A Welsh Bible dating back more than 400 years will go on public display for the first time this week.
The rare 1588 Bible has been loaned to St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire by Westminster Abbey, where the text has been kept as part of its library collection.
It is the first complete translation of the Bible into the Welsh language and this particular copy was the work of Bishop William Morgan, who had been commissioned to produce a standard Welsh edition.
He stayed at Westminster Abbey with his friend and fellow Welshman, Gabriel Goodman, then dean of Westminster, to oversee the printing in London.
The book was printed on paper and bound in leather over covers made from wood, a process used at the time.
To show his gratitude, Morgan presented a copy to the Abbey's library, writing a note in Latin on the title page.
The Bible has remained in Westminster Abbey's collection since and it has never before been taken to Wales.
It will go on public display at St Davids Cathedral's treasury between 17 June and 9 July, giving visitors a chance to see the volume up-close.
It is believed the text has never been on public display, although it was used in a service at St Benet Paul's Wharf - a church in London with a long association with the Welsh community - in 1988.
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Dr Tony Trowles, librarian and head of Westminster Abbey's collection, said the copy of the Welsh Bible was a reminder of the "rich collections of printed books and manuscripts which have been cared for and studied over the centuries".
"It has been a great pleasure to work with colleagues at the cathedral to facilitate the loan of this Bible so that it can be seen and appreciated in Wales for the first time," he added.
Bishop of St Davids, the Right Reverend Dorrien Davies, said he first saw Morgan's Bible when he visited London for St Davids Day this year.
"It is a special treasure of the Welsh language, and we are honoured to have it in St Davids Cathedral," he added.
The Dean of St Davids, Very Reverend Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, added that it seemed "fitting that its first visit to Wales should be here, to the home of our patron saint".