Scheduled MonumentsWalesPenmaen Burrows Church
Medieval · Church

Penmaen Burrows Church

Wales
Cadw SAM GM130
Period
Medieval
Site type
Church
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
The designation
Reference
Cadw SAM GM130
Authority
Cadw
Designated
1964-12-14
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Penmaen Burrows Church is a medieval church standing in Wales on bedrock composed of Dinantian limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous strata, formations laid down during the Mississippian period. The site's geology reflects the broader sedimentary character of this region, where limestone deposits would have provided building stone for the church and shaped the drainage patterns of the surrounding landscape. The church occupies a significant position within the medieval ecclesiastical geography of Wales and remains an important testimony to the period's spiritual and community life.

The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under the reference GM130, ensuring its preservation for future generations. This designation recognises the archaeological and historical significance of the site as a surviving example of medieval religious architecture. The church's location on stable limestone bedrock would have offered practical advantages for construction and long-term stability of the structure.

The surrounding burrows landscape has shaped the monument's character and preservation. The geological substrate and topography of Penmaen Burrows have influenced both the church's original construction and its survival into the present day, making this site valuable for understanding medieval settlement patterns and building practices within the Welsh coastal environment.

Penmaen Burrows Church is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM130. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Penmaen Burrows Church?

Penmaen Burrows Church is a medieval church standing in Wales on bedrock composed of Dinantian limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous strata, formations laid down during the Mississippian period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM130.

What period does Penmaen Burrows Church date from?

Penmaen Burrows Church dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a church. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Penmaen Burrows Church?

Penmaen Burrows Church is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is GM130.

What other scheduled monuments are near Penmaen Burrows Church?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Penmaen Burrows Burial Chamber (0 km), Penmaen Burrows Ringwork (0.3 km), Tower NE of Oxwich Castle (3.7 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Penmaen Burrows Church

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Penmaen Burrows Church's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Penmaen Burrows Church

Penmaen Burrows Church stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.