Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
St Non's Chapel
St. David's and the Cathedral Close, Pembrokeshire, Wales
A scheduled monument in St. David's and the Cathedral Close, Pembrokeshire, recorded as Chapel (Early Medieval).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Chapel
- Period
- Early Medieval
- Date of designation
- 6 January 1925
- Welsh name
- Capel Non
- Community
- St. David's and the Cathedral Close
- Unitary authority
- Pembrokeshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.87220, -5.26881
- SAM number
- PE013
- Cadw record number
- 229
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1608 map "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1608 · (13) Cambriae Typus. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1637 · Particular description of Wales. Cambria seu Wallia (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 209 St David's (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 13. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The monument comprises the remains of a small medieval chapel overlooking the coastline above St. Non's Bay and comprises a simple rectangular building with an entrance on the west. It has an unusual north-south orientation possibly explained by the foundations having been laid out to suit the severe slope. Massive masonry on the southern, downhill end may have been part of a foundation platform. The position of the altar is marked by a step at the northern end. The earliest reference to a chapel at this location is from a document of 1335 though the presence of a stone incised with a Latin cross dated to the 7th to 8th centuries now within the chapel and early reports of possible slab-lined graves are suggestive of an early medieval foundation. The chapel is traditionally held to mark the place where St. Non gave birth to St. David and will have been associated with pilgrim routes to St Davids. It is set towards the north of an early enclosure that may have originally served as chapel precinct, at its north east angle is St Non’s Well, medieval well head restored in 18th century.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the organisation and practice of medieval Christianity. The site forms an important element within the wider medieval landscape. The site is well preserved and retains considerable archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to chronology, layout, building techniques and functional detail.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- St Non's WellWater Supply and Drainageunder 1 mi
- Chapel of our Lady & St NonReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Pumphouse Tower in grounds of Warpool Court HotelIndustrialunder 1 mi
- Garden Terrace, Hemicycle & Archway at Warpool Court HotelGardens, Parks and Urban Spacesunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.