Scheduled MonumentsWalesSt Govan's Chapel and Well
Early Medieval · Chapel

St Govan's Chapel and Well

Pembrokeshire, Wales
Cadw SAM PE321
Period
Early Medieval
Site type
Chapel
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

St Govan's Chapel is a small medieval chapel situated within a natural rock cleft on the Pembrokeshire coast near Bosherston. The structure dates primarily to the early medieval period, though it has undergone various phases of modification and repair over the centuries. The chapel is built directly into the cliff face and remains a striking example of religious architecture adapted to its dramatic coastal setting, with an associated holy well located nearby that has long held significance in local devotion. The site preserves evidence of sustained religious use from its early medieval foundation through to the present day, representing an important focal point of Christian worship and pilgrimage in medieval Pembrokeshire.

St Govan's Chapel and Well is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference PE321. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is St Govan's Chapel and Well?

St Govan's Chapel is a small medieval chapel situated within a natural rock cleft on the Pembrokeshire coast near Bosherston. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference PE321.

What period does St Govan's Chapel and Well date from?

St Govan's Chapel and Well dates from the early medieval period, and is classified as a chapel. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting St Govan's Chapel and Well?

St Govan's Chapel and Well 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 PE321.

What other scheduled monuments are near St Govan's Chapel and Well?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Trevallen Downs Tank Range (0.6 km), Buckspool Down Camp (1.3 km), Fishpond Camp (1.9 km).

Aubrey Research

Generate a full report for this location

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.

Research the area around St Govan's Chapel and Well