{{Short description|Medieval Welsh Chapel}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox religious building |name = St Govan's Chapel |image = File:St Govans' chapel - geograph.org.uk - 876068.jpg |caption = |religious_affiliation = Christianity |patron = St Govan |location = St Govan's Head, Pembrokeshire, Wales |map_type = Wales Pembrokeshire |coordinates = {{coord|51.5987|-4.9368|region:GB-PEM_type:landmark|display=it}} |year_completed = 13th century |designation1 = UK Grade I |designation1_offname = St. Govan's Chapel |designation1_date = 8 February 1996 |designation1_number = 17980<ref>{{National Historic Assets of Wales |num=17980 |desc=St. Govan's Chapel |grade=I |access-date=15 May 2023}}</ref> }}
[[File:Chapel of St. Govens, Pembrokeshire.jpeg|thumb|Engraving of St Govan's Chapel (1810)]] '''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 {{convert|20|x|12|ft|m}} with walls constructed from limestone, and consists of two chambers, one in the front and one in the back.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Beauties of England and Wales, or, Delineations, topographical, historical, and descriptive, of each county, Volume 18 |year=1815 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J64vAAAAYAAJ&dq=st.+govan%27s+chapel&pg=PA805 |page=805|last1=Britton |first1=John |last2=Brayley |first2=Edward Wedlake }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=St Govan's Chapel |url=http://www.kingarthursknights.com/theland/stgovenschapel.asp |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928040832/http://www.kingarthursknights.com/theland/stgovenschapel.asp |archivedate=2013-09-28 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="coflein">{{Coflein|desc=St Govan's Chapel |num=95059}}</ref> The slate roof is suspected to be a modern addition compared to the rest of the building.<ref name="coflein" />
The building is accessible from the clifftop by climbing down a set of 52 steps,<ref>{{cite book |title=An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Wales and Monmouthshire: VII – Country of Pembroke |year=1925 |publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qcOwIMflx7AC&dq=St.+Govan%27s+Chapel&pg=PA21-IA1 |page=21}}</ref> although tourist organisations propagate the legend that when counted, the number of steps differs between going down and going back up.<ref>{{cite web |title=St. Govan's Head – Walk 6 |url=http://www.pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk/webSite/appaccess4all/stgovans_head.pdf |publisher=Pembrokeshire Coast National Park}}</ref>
The building was listed with Grade I status on 8 February 1996. The chapel is within the Castlemartin Military Training Area and is sometimes inaccessible because of military activity.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/castlemartin-firing-notice--2/castlemartin-firing-notice-february-2022 | title = Castlemartin firing notice February 2022 | date = 2022-03-02 | website = Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) | access-date = 2022-12-18 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220308180757/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/castlemartin-firing-notice--2/castlemartin-firing-notice-february-2022 | archive-date = 2022-03-08}}</ref>
The chapel was used as a location in episodes 1–3 of the third series of the BBC drama ''His Dark Materials''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72gdv4n9wro|title=The tiny cliff face chapel steeped in mythology|date=11 February 2024|website=BBC News|accessdate=29 April 2026}}</ref>
== Ogof Gofan == Under the chapel is a huge cave system, Ogof Gofan, containing a "cathedral-like structure", accessible only by abseiling down the cliff. The cave was re-discovered in 1966, but it had been used by people for thousands of years, from when the sea was miles from the cave mouth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/amazing-and-huge-hidden-cave-15833091|title=The hidden cave beneath one of Wales' most popular coastal walks|first=David|last=Owens|date=16 February 2019|website=WalesOnline}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=33em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Govan, Saint, Chapel}} Category:Scheduled monuments in Pembrokeshire Category:Grade I listed churches in Pembrokeshire Category:Chapels in Pembrokeshire