St. Govans Chapel, Pembrokeshire - real photo postcard c.1950s

Postcard
• Picture / Image:  St. Govans Chapel, St. Govans Head, Pembrokeshire - real photo
• Publisher:  none given
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s):  n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes / condition:  small mark on reverse

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :

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St. Govan's Chapel is a chapel located at St. Govan's Head, Pembrokeshire in south west Wales.

Built into the side of a limestone cliff, the building measures 20 by 12 feet (6.1 m × 3.7 m) with walls constructed from limestone, and consists of a single chamber.^[1] The majority of the chapel was built in the thirteenth century, although parts of it may date back further to the sixth century when Saint Govan, a monk moved into a cave located on the site of the chapel. One legend suggests that Saint Govan is buried underneath the chapel's altar, located at the east end of the building.^[2] The entrance to the building is via. a doorway on the north side, low stone benches run along the north and south walls and an empty bell-cote is located at the west end.^[3] The slate roof is suspected to be a modern addition compared to the rest of the building.^[3]

The building is accessible from the clifftop by climbing down a set of 52 stairs,^[4] although tourist organisations propagate the legend that when counted, the number of steps differs between going down and going back up.^[5]

The building was listed with Grade I status on August 2, 1996. Today, the building falls within the MOD's Castlemartin East Firing Range, which limits access to the building when the range is closed to the public.

Saint Govan (Welsh: Gofan) (died 586) was a hermit who lived in a fissure on the side of coastal cliff near Bosherston, in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales.^[2] St. Govan's Chapel was built in the fissure in the 14th century on what is now known as St Govan's Head.^[2]

One story says Govan was an Irish monk who travelled to Wales late in life to seek the friends and family of the abbot who had trained him, variously identified as Saint David^[3] or Saint Ailbe of Emly.^[4] Another story identifies Govan with Gawain, one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table;^[3] another that he was originally a thief.

Govan was set upon by pirates, from Ireland^[3] or the nearby Lundy Island. The cliff opened up and left a fissure just big enough for him to hide in until the pirates left.^[3][5] In gratitude, he decided to stay on along the cliff,^[5] probably to help warn the locals of the impending pirate attack if they were to return.

St Govan lived within a small cave in the fissure of the cliff. This is now reached by a long flight of stone steps, the number of which is said to vary depending on whether one is ascending or descending.^[3]

The present small vaulted chapel of local limestone was built over the cave and dates from the 13th century although the site may have been of monastic importance since the 5th century. St Govan may be identified with Sir Gwaine, one of King Arthur's knights, who entered into a state of retreat in his later years.^[6] Originally St Govan caught fish and took water from two nearby springs. Both are now dry; one was where the medieval chapel now stands, the other, which was lower down the cliff, later became a holy well.^[2][3] A legend says St Govan's hand prints are imprinted on the floor of his cave ^[2] and his body is buried under the chapel's altar. The cave was once a popular place for making wishe

type=real photographic (rp)

theme=topographical: british

sub-theme=wales

county/ country=pembrokeshire

number of items=single

period=1945 - present

postage condition=unposted