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<< Our Photo Pages >> St Govan's Well - Holy Well or Sacred Spring in Wales in Pembrokeshire

Submitted by PAB on Monday, 29 March 2004  Page Views: 15085

Springs and Holy WellsSite Name: St Govan's Well Alternative Name: Ffynnon Govan
Country: Wales
NOTE: This site is 26.7 km away from the location you searched for.

County: Pembrokeshire Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring
Nearest Town: Pembroke  Nearest Village: Bosherston
Map Ref: SR96719294  Landranger Map Number: 158
Latitude: 51.598520N  Longitude: 4.936648W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
no data Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
no data Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
no data Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5
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I have visited· I would like to visit

ethelpugh church-grim Jimwithnoname Horatio Cat7 would like to visit

Couplands visited on 19th Oct 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3 Visited whilst out on a longer walk around the headland. Would love to have a little more insight into the layout of the interior and possibly an artist impression.

PAB have visited here

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Manja : St. Govan's Chapel nestled up against the cliffs. September 2008 (Vote or comment on this photo)
As noted on the nearby Information Board: "Although the identity of St Govan is uncertain, the majority of opinion favours St Gobham, Abbot of Dairinis in County Wexford, Ireland. Tradition says that he was pursued by pirates to the cliff edge where the chapel now stands. Miraculously, a cleft in the rock opened for Govan to hide in, closing again until the marauders had left. St Govan remained in the area for the rest of his life, preaching and teaching until his death in 586."

The chapel is set into the cliffs, as can be seen from the other pictures I am putting on the site.

As for the well itself, the information given at the site notes..."On the floor just inside the main door of the chapel is a simple, shallow well. The water, which could only be scooped with a small spoon or a limpet shell, was said to cure eye complaints, skin diseases and rheumatism. Located just outside the chapel and covered by the stone arch, is the saint’s holy well. Although it is now dry, it was known for both healing powers and as a wishing well."

Whether it started in the 11th century, the 6th or much earlier - the place is absolutely magical and timeless!

The well is recorded as Coflein NPRN 32502 and the chapel as Coflein NPRN 95059. The Journal of Antiquities also includes a page for St Govan’s Chapel, Bosherston, Pembrokeshire, Wales, which includes information for both the chapel and the well, photographs, details of how to find this site, and background information about St Govan. The JoA also includes a list of reference materials which can provide more information.
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St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Manja : St. Govan's Well. September 2008 (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Manja : Inside St Govan's Chapel. September 2008 (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Couplands : View looking S (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Horatio : Showing how the Chapel sits in its surroundings. (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Canibefrank : DSC_2587-HDR View of the beach from the Chapel Image copyright: canibefranker, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Bladup : St Govan's Well. The well is inside the chapel, there's another well about 50 meters towards the sea.

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by pattersa : St Govans Chapel from below

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by pab : St Govan's Well. One of two sacred Wells reputed to have existed at the site of St Govan's Chapel, founded in the 6th century. Taken on 16th December 2006, this picture looks eastward St Govan's Head.

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Postman : Saw two seals swim past here, well, behind me actually,

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Postman : Lurking down.

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Bladup : St Govan's Well. The well is inside the chapel, this photo of the chapel is taken from another well about 50 meters towards the sea.

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by pab : St Govan had rather a fine view from his chapel and well! The 'slodge' of colour in the cliffs across the bay is far more recent, caused by a rock fall in the last year...close-up to follow!

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Couplands : Viewed from W

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Antonine : The chapel 2008

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Horatio : St Govans Chapel, Well and the Bell Rock . So this has probably been written before but..... Embedded in the rocks on the south coast of Pembrokeshire there once tolled a silver bell from within the tower of this lonely Chapel. Govan, the hermit who lived here rang the bell everyday. When the bell pealed the sound had the depth of the soul and purity of heaven. One day, upon hearing the ...

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Antonine : St Govan’s ‘ribs’, 2008

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Antonine : The chapel, 2008

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Antonine : Inside chapel, 2008

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Antonine : Chapel window, 2008

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Antonine : 2008

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Antonine

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Canibefrank : DSC_2590-HDR St Governs from the beach Saint Govan's Chapel Image copyright: canibefranker, hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Postman : The well in the chapel, probably.

St Govan's Well
St Govan's Well submitted by Postman : A room with a doorway.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.4km WNW 287° Buckspool Down Camp* Hillfort (SR954934)
 1.7km NNE 22° Freynslake Round Barrow(s) (SR974945)
 1.9km N 10° Bosherston* Hillfort (SR971948)
 2.2km NNE 28° Stackpole Warren* Ancient Village or Settlement (SR978948)
 2.5km NNE 27° Fishpond Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SR97939508)
 2.5km NNE 26° Birch Hill Round Barrow(s) (SR979951)
 2.5km NNE 31° Devil's Quoit (Stackpole)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SR98109503)
 2.8km ENE 61° Mowingword Promontory Enclosure* Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (SR9917394196)
 2.9km N 359° Harold Stone (Bosherton)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SR96769586)
 3.4km WNW 291° Crocksydam Camp Hillfort (SR936943)
 3.5km N 350° Devil's Quoit (St Twynnells)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SR96239638)
 3.5km NE 45° Lorts Cave* Cave or Rock Shelter (SR993953)
 4.1km WNW 292° Flimston Castle* Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (SR930946)
 4.2km NNE 25° Stackpole enclosure* Ancient Village or Settlement (SR98679665)
 5.3km NNW 327° Merrion Court* Hillfort (SR940975)
 5.4km NE 45° Greenala Point Fort Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (SS00679657)
 6.7km NNE 18° Kingston Cottage Tomb* Chambered Tomb (SR99039924)
 7.0km NNW 342° Dry Burrows* Barrow Cemetery (SR948997)
 7.3km NNW 347° Pennybridge Stone Circle (SM953001)
 7.4km WNW 297° Castle Lady Valley Hillfort (SR903966)
 7.6km WNW 303° Brownslade Farm Round Barrow(s) (SR905973)
 7.7km NNW 332° Corston Beacon* Round Barrow(s) (SR933999)
 7.7km N 1° Bowett Wood Camp Ancient Village or Settlement (SM9713500678)
 7.9km N 360° Quoits Wood Ancient Village or Settlement (SM9696000845)
 7.9km WNW 298° Linney Round Barrow(s) (SR898969)
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Re: St Govan's Well by coldrum on Wednesday, 06 January 2010
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Coflein site entry.

http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/32502/details/ST+GOVANS+WELL%3BST+GOWAN%27S+WELL/
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