Gower Churches
Christianity reached the Gower Peninsular in the early 5th century.
At this time, Christians gathered for religious instruction and worship
in open spaces. The early Christian instructors of the area are believed
to have been missionary monks from Gaul and when these great leaders
of the faith died, they were buried in the locations in which they had
taught. These sites would then become sacred grounds where further Christian
burials would be held. These early Christian graves were commemorated
with stones inscribed by local stonesmiths and it is these stones which
offer the historian the earliest physical evidence of Christian worship
in the region. In later years, these sacred places were enclosed and
small stone oratories, measuring some three square metres, were constructed
within the perimeter.
The first churches to be constructed in Gower, very often
upon these early sacred locations, were wooden in construction, the
more familiar stone buildings not arriving in Gower until the later
invasion of Anglo-Normans. Of these numerous Celtic period buildings,
which spread right across the Wales, only one now remains across the
whole of the Principality. This can be found amongst the ruined chapel
on the small tidal islet of Burry Holmes.
As the Anglo-Normans settled on the peninsula, the more
familiar village churches we recognise today were constructed, again
mainly upon the already established Christian worship sites. Of these,
only around half now remain standing. These stone churches bore thatched
or tiled rooves and possessed saddlebacked towers whilst their earthen
floors were covered with rushes. The walls of these building were plastered
and decorated with simple illustrations of Bible stories. However, despite
the Romantic air one now places upon these early churches, these were
very simple buildings and afforded little comfort to their growing congregations.
With the arrival of The Victorian Age, Gower's churches
received huge facelifts and, in some instances, complete reconstructions.
Their early character was swept aside as little effort was taken to
incorporate the old with the new. It is mostly the results of these
later Victorian alterations that are viewed on Gower today.
To those familiar with historic churches, Gower's religious
building may appear a little crude, looking as though they were designed
by masons more familiar with building castles than fine examples of
ecclesiastical architecture. Nearly all the churches here exhibit some
form of military appearance. Their tower walls especially give these
churches this air of fortification. Several are around a metre deep
and possess arrow slit windows. These bulky exteriors were functional
however, for as well as being constructed for spiritual worship, the
churches were also designed to protect the gentry of the villages from
any attack the Welsh armies might rain against their Anglo-Norman invaders.
Given Gower's history, it is perhaps unsurprising to find
that many of the peninsula's churches witnessed troubled and intriguing
histories. Walking around their ancient graveyards today is now a quiet
affair for the visitor however. But whilst taking in the serene atmosphere
these special and revered places now afford their guests, take a moment
to reflect upon the many lives, eras and wars these places have stood
witness to and survived. Gower's churches are trully places to respect
as well as cherish and delight in.
A Guide to Gower's Ancient Churches
Bishopston Church
Bishopston Church , situated at the head of Bishopston Valley , is
dedicated to St. Teilo, an early "archbishop" of Llandaff. According
to the 'Book of Llandaff' - Liber Landavensis - the Parish of Bishopston
dates back to the earliest days of the Celtic church when it took the
form of a Christian monastic community. This monastic settlement, known
as Llandeilo Ferwallt, would have been founded in Gower as a "daughter"
church or subsidiary monastry to Teilo's major monastry at Llandeilo
Fawr during the turn of the 6th century. The present building was probably
built during the 13th Century from an earlier chapel. Inside the chancel
is an early priscina and the 13th Century font appears to have the base
from an earlier period. There are also the remains of a medieval cross
on the south side of the church. The massive tower has a small pyramidal
roof rising within the English type battlement, housing at its foot
two bells dated 1713 and 1714.
The church has been restored many times since the original Norman building,
with a South Porch added in 1851 by Thomas Penrice of Kilvrough, recorded
as such for posterity above it's solid oak door.
The east window of the chancel has a stained-glass window, which is
a memorial to seven men of the Parish who lost their lives to the First
World War.
The Church key is available from the nearby Winston Hotel . Groups
should telephone (01792) 232140.
Cheriton Church
St. Cadoc's Church, Cheriton, was built in the 14th century to replace
the one at nearby Landimore (which was abandoned because of the encroaching
tides of the Burry Estuary). It is believed that the altar here is actually
from this earlier church - its chipped corner being the result of falling
from the cart onto the road during its transportation. The church is
built around the design of a cathedral and is the most elaborate of
the churches found on the Gower Peninsula - as well as being generally
acknowledged as the most beautiful.
In 1874-75, using his own inheritance from the death of his parents
a few years earlier, Reverend J. D. Davies, rector of both Cheriton
and Llanmadoc (1868 - 1911), carried out restoration work on the medieval
building. A keen carpenter, he also carved the church's choir stalls,
altar rails and the embossed wooden ceiling [pic]. Other Gower churches
which evidence the rector's handiwork include Llanmadoc Church , Llanrhidian
Church and Oxwich Church .
The Reverend, famous for his historical writings on the peninsula,
died in 1911 and is buried close to the south porch of the church.
It is difficult to find a more idyllic and serene spot as the churchyard
at Cheriton but, in 1770, the churchyard was the scene of vicious and
prolonged fighting between two feuding factions of the famous Lucas
family. Reverend John Williams was again the rector at the time of this
bitter argument, but on this occasion he was not to play a role in the
uproar, as the crowd who gathered there locked him within the church
for the duration of the fight, believing it to be an offence for the
clergy to witness the shedding of blood.
At the time, it seems that Cheriton held some kind of court for legal
arbitration and John Lucas of Horton, together with his son, also named
John, gathered at the church to claim a certain tract of land by rights
of an earlier marriage in the family. They arrived at the church with
many men, prepared to take the land by force should their reasoned argument
fail to procure them the acreage in question. To argue against the Horton
Lucas' claim, yet another John Lucas, this time of Stouthall, arrived
at Cheriton - again with his own army of followers. Rational debate
failed to raise an amicable settlement and a great and bloody battle
ensued, resulting in one of the party being murdered. They fight did
not end until the High Sheriff of the County of Glamorgan arrived at
the scene with his own band of armed officers of the peace.
Opposite the church, across the stream, once stood a great 17th Century
mansion with its own spring - Craddock's Well. The well was said to
possess supernatural powers and pins used to be dropped into its waters
as votive offerings.
The Church is kept locked but visitors can borrow a key from the very
friendly shop in Llanmadoc.
Ilston Church
St. Illtyd's Church is located in the almost secretive village of Ilston,
reached only via winding narrow lanes or woodland walks. The most dominant
feature of the church is its huge tower, topped with its battlemented
saddle-backed roof and the ancient yew tree which grows at its side
and is reputed to be over six hundred years old.
Whilst the church looks antiquated, the 13th Century building was,
in fact, rather extensively renovated during the 19th Century. most
of the church's current features date from this later period although
one of the three church bells date from as far back as the 15th Century.
The church is usually kept lock except for its services.
Llandewi Church
Llandewi Church stands amidst quiet fields and farm buildings and seems,
at first glance, impossible to reach. Access can be made by car, however,
by taking the track leading to the neighbouring farm and there is a
small car park situated to the rear of a rather muddy cow enclosure.
The church is dedicated to St. David and is believed to have been built
by Henry de Gower, who was the Bishop of St. Davids between 1328-47.
Despite having been vastly altered during its restoration in 1905, the
church still retains its air of antiquity - this being aided, of course,
by its largely pastoral setting.
An interesting feature of Llandewi Church is its chancel, which is
inclined south of its nave - a feature designed to purposely remind
its congregation of Jesus' posture on the cross.
The church can often be found open during the summer months - providing
a great opportunity to explore its interior decoration which - though
simple and uncluttered seem perfect and fitting to the building's air
of isolation and tranquility.
Llangennith Church
Llangennith Church is the largest of the Gower churches and dominates
the village of Llangennith . It has a huge saddle-backed tower containing
four bells, one of which is cracked and cannot be rung. Given its location,
the church is predictably dedicated to St. Cennydd, who is celebrated
on the plaques contained on the lynch gate (the only church lynch gate
on the peninsula) and again with further memorials within the church
itself.
The story of St. Cennydd, is a strange and fascinating one and mixes
historical fact and fictional legend to a degree where it is now difficult
to draw an accurate dividing line between them. Cennydd was born of
an incestuous relationship between Dihocus, Prince of Brittany and his
beautiful daughter. With a hugely deformed leg, a legacy of his parents'
unnatural and sinful union, the child was taken to the court of Loughor,
where King Arthur had been called to decide upon the fate of the crippled
infant. With King Arthur's ruling that the boy's destiny should be decided
by God, Cennydd was cast afloat in a wicker cradle upon the waters of
the Burry Estuary. It was Christmas Day and the waters were icy and
unkind, yet the little child suffered no hardship as the cradle carried
him deeper out into the estuary and towards the raging Atlantic Ocean.
Amongst the torrents of the winter's storm, the cradle finally came
to rest at Worm's Head, Rhossili where a thousand seagulls snatched
Cennydd from his cradle to take him safely to the shore. With a nest
of feathers to comfort and shield him from the elements, the boy was
then nursed by the wild birds. With the aid of a magical bell, the fabled
'titty bell', delivered to the tended baby by a protecting Angel, that
gave the child nourishment, Cennydd grew strong and wise. For 18 years
Cennydd lived on Worm's Head, living on the wild plants and herbs that
grew there until God told the young man to head inland to the place
now known as Llangennith (a corruption from the saint's name Cennydd).
There, Cennydd founded the Priory that, destroyed by the Danes in 986
AD, was later rebuilt in 1140 as Llangennith Church by Henry de Beaumont
(also known as de Newburgh), Norman Lord of Gower.
Within the church today there lies a large slab of stone carved with
an intricate design of Celtic Knotwork. This was unearthed during restoration
work on the church and was, at the time, believed to be the grave cover
of St. Cennydd, whose remains are said to be buried beneath the floor
of the medieval church (for some time up until the second half of the
15th Century, the saint's skull was used for the swearing of official
oaths in the village). Although the stone was later identified as a
portion of a 9th Century Celtic wheel cross, locals still know it affectionately
as "Cenny's Stone.
Unfortunately, despite its history, Llangennith Church is not the prettiest
of the Gower Churches, but it does possess a certain atmosphere found
nowhere else on the peninsula. Whether that atmosphere is conjured from
the church's location, open to the rough salt winds from the Atlantic
Ocean , its defensive, castle-like architecture or the supernatural
legends ascribed to its saintly founder, one can only speculate.
Another interesting item that can be found in the church is a carved
effigy of a 13 th Century knight. Nicknamed the "Dolly Mare", the stone
is believed to represent a member of the De la Mare family.
Of interest in Llangennith Churchyard is the grave of Phil Tanner -
"The Gower Nightingale." Widely thought of as Britain 's finest ever
folk singer, his funeral was attended by the Mayor of Swansea, numerous
local councillors as employers and friends of the BBC. Despite this
mass attendance his gravestone is dedicated solely to his wife Ruth
Tanner.
A key to the church is available from the nearby P.J.'s Surf Shop.
Llanmadoc Church
Llanmadoc Church is the smallest of the Gower churches and is dedicated,
unsurprisingly, to St. Madoc. The building is of 13th Century construction,
although much of what is seen today of the building dates back to only
1865, when the church was renovated quite extensively. This work also
involved reducing the height of its tower which can now appear quite
stumpy in relation to the rest of the architecture. During this renovation,
traces of a medieval wall painting were uncovered - one of only a few
churches on the peninsula where such work, which used to decorate the
walls of all these churches, have been found.
Early Gower churches did not possess north side windows. These were
laid in 19th century restorations. It is interesting to note that Llanmadoc
has the only church still possessing no north-side window on the whole
of the peninsula.
The Reverend J. D. Davies was the Rector of Llanmadoc Church, along
with that of nearby Cheriton from 1860 to 1911. He has become famous
locally for writing what has become known as The Gower Bible - huge
volumes of work depicting the local customs, history and legends of
his parishes which he entitled "A History of West Gower". A historian's
dream, the books have not been available in print for many years but
a copy of each volume is available for study at Swansea Reference Library.
These marvellous books were not the only work the Rev. J. D. Davies
bestowed upon his beloved peninsula. His skill as a master carpenter
is evidenced in the finely carved oak altar that still stands within
Llanmadoc Church and the curiously styled old rectory that lays across
the road from the church grounds was both built and designed by the
rector (he based his design around a house he saw during a holiday he
partook in Switzerland ). The Reverend, one of the more famous and loved
characters in the peninsula's long history, died, aged 81 in 1911.
The church is usually kept locked, but a key can be borrowed from the
friendly owners of Llanmadoc's village shop. The first items of note
as you enter the dimly lit building are the two large stones that stand
within the twin recesses of the left hand wall. The first of these has
been identified as the village boundary stone and dated around the 13th
century. The second stone is the larger of the two and is believed to
be the remains of the old churchyard cross. This once stood on a raised
platform with steps leading to it from all directions. Most of these
churchyard crosses were destroyed by Puritans under order of Oliver
Cromwell in the 17th century.
Llanrhidian Church
 Standing
beneath a limestone buff, Llanrhidian Church is situated in a splendidly
quiet and beautiful corner of land that leads off from the sharply sloping
village green. Originally dedicated to St. Rhidian and later to St.
Illtyd, the present building dates from the 13th Century, although it
was extensively renovated in 1858 and has numerous points of interest.
Set on the tower roof is a large block of stone masonry, measuring
1.7 metres long by 0.9 metres wide by 1.7 metres high, called the "Parson's
Bed." This was originally used as the hearth for beacon fires that were
lit during more troublesome times to warn the locals of enemies approaching
by land or sea.
Within the porch, laying horizontally, is situated one of Gower's
many historical curiosities - a fragment of a Viking sarcophagus lid
measuring over 2 metres long and known locally as the "leper stone."
The stone dates from the 9th Century and was found buried near the West
Tower doorway in 1865. (It was moved to its present day position in
1910.) This is the only stone of its kind found in the whole of Wales
but they are quite common in the north of England where they are known
as "Hog's Backs." It features the rather striking image of two human
faces surrounded by strange and grotesquely configured animal representations.
How such an item, so unique to Wales , should reach Llanrhidian from
North England is a mystery, as baffling to archeologists today as it
was when the carved stone was first discovered in the village all those
years ago.
Within the church, the handiwork of the famous Reverend J. D. Davies
can be viewed - the altar and all 324 wooden bosses for the ceiling
were all carved by his genuinely gifted hands in the late 19th Century.
Outside the church, a natural spring can be discovered beside the
small cave near the west wall of the churchyard and set into the gate
post at the opposite end of the grounds are two memorial plaques from
the doomed village of Llanelen which are perhaps best left untouched
given their reputation for being cursed.
The Church is kept locked but visitors may borrow a key from the servis
station at the cross-roads at the top of the village.
Nicholaston Church
Nicholaston Church , dedicated to St. Nicholas, was said to have been
rebuilt on its present site, stone by stone from an even earlier church
that had become besanded near Nicholaston Woods. Of this second 14th
century church very little remains, however, save for a few foundation
walls and slabs of an original medieval cross, preserved in the church
porch.
The church was largely rebuilt in the closing decade of the 19th Century
at the sole expense of Miss Olive Talbot. Prior to this Victorian rebuilding,
the church was very much an ordinary affair and Miss Talbot, wanting
the church to be a memorial to her father - C.R.M. Talbot, of Penrice
Castle, let the full swing of Victorian design transform the church
into what was later described as a little "jewel box" of a building.
The resplendent new church of St. Nicholas reopened in December 1894,
just weeks after the unfortunate benefactor, Miss Talbot's, death.
Nicholaston Church stands strangely aloof from its parish, on the
seaward side of the A4418 South Gower Road. The church offers no parking
spaces (only small lay bys some distance from the church, allow any
such facilities). The fabric of the building is believed to have been
constructed from stone from Cefn Bryn. Overlooking the Bristol Channel
, in a niche over the porch, stands a fine statue of St. Nicholas. Other
interesting features of the church include its single bell, which dates
from 1518 (but was re-tuned at the time of the church's Victorian rebuilding)
and the font which is a carved from a mighty slab of stalagmite.
The best time to view the church is around the time of its Sunday
morning service which is held at 11.15 am as it is usually locked for
security reasons at other times of the week, however, visitors can request
an accompanied viewing by telephoning: (01792) 371241.
Oxwich Church
The medieval church of St. Illtyd must possess one of the most beautifully
situated graveyards in the country. Itself almost buried by the giant
canopy of a dense and steeply inclined wood, the church appears to stand
aloof from the village and the sandy bay it overlooks, despite being
separated by only a few moments walk. At the height of the summer season,
when the sun is roasting all who bathe beneath its unblinkered stare,
it is a most disquieting experience to stumble from the bustling sands
and head for the chill and shaded solitude of the church grounds. The
clammy, twilight atmosphere that clings to this churchyard transports
its visitors to a ghostly other-world, a feeling that is undisturbed,
perhaps even amplified, by the contrasting sound of the sun-worshipping
tourists that flock but a stone's throw from its ivy clad walls.
Given such a picturesque and genuinely eerie setting, it is not surprising
that one of the strangest ghosts of curious supernatural beasts on the
peninsula has chosen to manifest itself here. This horse-like creature
creature, seen striding down through the woodland graves towards the
foreshore on its hind legs, is a being more readily identified amongst
ancient Germanic folklore than in any other closer to home. The church's
spring well, which has now run dry, is also reputed to be haunted -
by a ghostly horse that drinks from its water before running into the
sea and disappearing!
Within the Church itself, which is unfortunately kept locked for most
of the year, are some very interesting items of note. The font, for
example, is believed to have been brought to the church by St. Illtyd
himself! Looking up, and the beautiful ceiling decorations in the chancel
area of the church were paid for by Dame Lilian Bayliss, a director
of England's Old Vic theatre, who fell in love with the church whilst
holidaying in the area. Whilst in the chancel, the stone effigies of
a knight and his lady - believed locally to represent the heads of the
Norman De la Mare family, who lived in Oxwich Castle and who drowned
in the waters of Oxwich Bay in the 14th Century. The effigies have been
nicknamed by villages as the "Dolly Mare."
Despite local belief, however, more recent suggestions have dated
the effigies to the early 15th Century, suggesting that they are arepresentation
of the Castles later occupants - probably Sir John Penres and his wife,
Margaret Fleming. The figures are not, as might be first suspected,
sculpted from solid rock but have, instead, been constructed of sand
particles which have been cemented together with plaster and coated
with a plaster coat.
The Rev. J. D. Davies, local historian, author and rector of several
Gower Churches in his day, was born in the old Rectory here, which was
situated on the rocks sandwiched between Oxwich Church and the sea.
This has now, unfortunately, been completely obliterated by the encroaching
tide.
On a final, salutary note, at the rear of the churchyard stands the
grave of an unknown soldier whose body was washed ashore upon the neighbouring
beach during World War I. Given its anachronistic setting, such a monument
provides a perfect moment to reflect upon and honour all those who gave
their lives defending their country during those awful and bloody years
of conflict.
Oystermouth Church
A Roman villa once stood on the site now occupied by Oystermouth Church.
The remaining traces of this earlier building are now on view within
the church, embedded in a slate display on its western wall.
Known officially as the Church of All Saints, Oystermouth Church is
the largest medieval church on the whole of the Gower Peninsula and
has some fascinating internal and external features, including some
amazing grotesques and church bells originating from the Cathedral of
Santiago de Cuba, which were brought from the gutted original building
in 1865.
in the church's burial ground lays the body of Thomas Bowdler, infamous
for his expurgated versions of Shakespeare and the Bible.
Penmaen Church
Replacing the abandoned church located on Penmaen Burrows (which was
besanded in the early 14th Century), Penmaen Church is a small building
with a correspondingly tiny churchyard. Dedicated to John the Baptist,
there is a fine stained glass window depicting the saint in the north
wall of teh north aisle. A second accompanying stained glass window
shows St. Paul. Both these windows were installed in memory of E.K.
James, the Rector of the church from 1850-95 and were paid for by friends
and parishioners of the Rector.
Little remains of the church's original building after some rather
hefty and intrusive restoration work was carried out in 1854-55. During
this work, a gravestone dated 1623 was discovered beneath the church
altar. It reads:
'here resteth the body of David the sonne of David the
sonne of Richard the sonne of Nicholas the sonne of Rys teh sonne of
Leison teh sonne of Rys the sonne of Morgan Ychan the sonne of Morgan
the sonne of Cradocke the sonne of Iustin ap Gwrgan Sometime Lord of
Glamorgan interred the 21 day of August in the year of our blessed redemption
1623. In this bit of earth likewise reposeth the body of Jane his wife
deceased the 23 of Febr. 1631 whome God consorts in sacred rites and
love death canot seperate marrow from the dove.'
This, the earliest relic within the church, is now positioned on the
chancel's north wall.
Unfortunately, Penmaen Church is usually kept locked outside of service
hours.
Pennard Church
The origins of Pennard Church are steeped in mystery but what is known
is that the church was originally located next to Pennard Castle, on
the high ground overlooking the magnificent sweep of Three Cliffs bay.
A tiny fragment of this original building can still be seen today, protuding
from the manicured green behind the castle on land that now forms part
of the Pennard Golf course.
It was believed that the Church was relocated to today's more inland
location after both the original church and Pennard Castle became besanded
sometime in the early 16th Century. this theory, however, was turned
on its head when parts of the current church were dated as far back
as the 13th Century. This discovery means that Pennard once possessed
two churches, the current church, dedicated to St. Mary, obviously having
flourished with the closure of its coastal counterpart.
Penrice Church
Reached via a lengthy, winding and undulating lane, Penrice Church
stands proud before the old village green, overlooking the rich fields
of Penrice towards the distant shores of Oxwich Bay. Now silent, it
is difficult to imagine that this green was once the scene of immense
and often bawdy village fairs.
Dedicated to St. Andrew, the church was once owned by the Knights Hospitallers
of St. John of Jerusalem, but little of this original building survives
today. In a mighty storm in 1720, the building lost its entire roof.
During the following restoration, a new floor and more comfortable seating
were added to the church interior. More dramatic alterations were also
made at this time, including enlargements to the building's windows.
Further restorations in 1894 again distanced St. Andrew's from its original
appearance but the church still holds a fascinating charm of its own.
Whilst the church is usually kept locked outside of service times, teh
church grounds themselves offer enough interest to merit a visit.
An absolutely huge and ancient yew tree grows to the side rear of the
church, a poignant sentinal over those whose shorter lives have now
passed. One particular life, cut short by an unknown hand, is marked
near the front of the church and is known as the 'murder stone.' The
grave inscription reads:
'To the memory of Mary, wife of James Kavanagh of Penmaen,
who was murdered by ... on the 3rd October 1829, aged 75 years'
It is believed that this inspription was designed to prick the conscience
of the unknown murderer and get him to confess his sins. Whether his/her
identity ever came to light or a suitable punishment meted upon tem
is not known.
Port Eynon Church
A church has stood on the site of the present St. cattwg Church since
the 6th Century a.d. but the present building originated from the 12th
Century. Dedicated to the Celtic Saint of Llancarfan, the most distinctive
feature noticeed by present day visitors is perhaps not the church itself
but the memorial statue of the lifeboatman sited in the most visible
corner of the churchyard.
This large sculpture of a lifeboatman, dressed in typical early 20th
Century garb, is made from the finest Italian marble and commemmorates
members of the village lifeboat crew who lost theier lives to the sea
during a particularly daring rescue attempt in the Bristol Channel in
1916. A further memorial to this disaster can be found within the church
itself in the form of a commemmorative pulpit.
Several items of further interest within St. Cattwg's Church include
its lack of an eastern window, a blocked up leper's window in the chancel's
southern wall and the greenstone Norman font - believed to be over six
hundred years old - a gift of the Abbot of Llantwit Major at the time.
Like most of Gower's churches, St. Cattwg has been renovated on several
occassions, most notably in 1861 when the church's gallery was destroyed
and the west end of the building was enlarged to cater for the growing
congregation, in 1901 when the stone entrance to the building was replaced
by a cement one and in the 1960's when the church was further enlarged.
A particular favourite of Port Eynon Church are its beautiful stained
glass windows. Fortunately, these can be freely viewed during the summer
months when the church is usually open to the public.
Reynoldston Church
The small church located in the village of reynoldston is dedicated
to St. George. The origins of the church are ancient and can be dated
back as far as the 13th Century but later extensive restorations have
left only fragments of the earlier building intact (the chancel's southern
wall).
The church has two bells, one of which dates from 1783 whilst the
other is of unknown age.
Whilst visitors in search of history may be disappointed in Reynoldston
Church, teh building does have a certain charm and certainly merits
inclusion in any intended tour of Gower's magnificent churches - a particular
favourite feature of the church being its stained glass windows, which,
although being lauded for their basic design, are of a particularly
striking colour.
St. Mary's Church, Rhossili
Rhossili Church , dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, is built upon the
6th Century foundations of an earlier church founded by St. Fili. An
even earlier church existed at the foot of Rhossili Downs in an area
known as "The Warren." This was later besanded, but the present day
church's stone doorway frame is believed to have originated from that
earlier building.
The present church is of traditional 13th Century Norman original with
late 19th Century renovations. Its tower, once used as a landmark by
passing ships, is a saddlebacked tower and houses two bells. One of
the earlier bells of the church is of mysterious origin but local tradition
has it that it was rescued from a wrecked Spanish vessel. The bells
were sounded by a striking hammer and this caused the inscribed bell
to crack. The bell was then converted into a safe.
Rhossili Church has several noteworthy points to observe. The decorated
doorway contains a relatively rare scratch-dial where the time could
be determined by the shadow cast from a pointer inserted into its centre
hole. Another feature of the building is its 'leper window'. This is
a narrow slit in the fabric of the church wall via which members of
the church, known as Anchorites, who lived in solitude within the building,
could hear confessions, communicate with the ill and get fed.
The church contains a white marble memorial to Rhossili local - Petty
Officer Edgar Evans. Born in Ship Cottage, formerly Ship Inn, Evans
met his end during Captain Scott's ill-fated expedition to the South
Pole in 1912.
Before leaving the grounds of the church, final items
of interest can be viewed in the fine sundial and sculptured lamp base
set in top of one of the gateposts.
The church is open from Easter to the end of October.
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