Davies was educated at St David's College, Lampeter, Wales, obtaining a BA degree in 1955, and then at Jesus College, Oxford, where he obtained a BLitt in 1959. He trained for ordination at St Stephen's House, Oxford. He was ordained deacon in 1959, and ordained priest in 1960, serving as assistant curate of Llanelli, Saint Paul from 1959 to 1964. He was then vicar of Llanafan y Trawsgoed from 1964 to 1967 before working as chaplain to Anglican students at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1967 to 1973. After being secretary of the Provincial Council for Mission and Unity of the Church in Wales from 1973 to 1979, he became vicar of St David's, Carmarthen from 1979 to 1983. He was appointed Archdeacon of Carmarthen in 1982, and vicar of Llanegwad in 1983. He was clerical secretary of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales from 1983 until his appointment as Bishop of Llandaff in 1985. He retired in 1999.
