ST. GOVAN’S.
About seven miles from Pembroke, and a mile from Bosheston, there is a small chapel of rude masonry half way down the cliff known as St. Govan’s Chapel. It is a seaside building, perched across a fissure in the side of the cliff, and a long flight of steps leading down to it from above. There is a popular belief that these steps cannot be numbered by anyone correctly, or “counted by none both ways alike.” I visited the spot myself in October, 1909. In the east wall of the Chapel a doorway admits into a cleft of the rock in which is a marvellous cell or crevice, “that enables the largest person to turn round therein, and at the same time quite filled by the smallest.” This cavity has been regarded by the superstitious as a miraculous cell, and according to a legend Our Lord on one occasion, when pursued by His enemies, the Jews, sought safety in this neighbourhood. “Passing through a field where men were sowing bailey, He ordered them at once to go for their reaping hooks, and, if any passed that way and inquired after Him, to say that they had seen such an one, but it was in sowing time. The men although they knew not who it was, did as they were bid, fetched their hooks, and lo! on their return, the field was waving with ripe corn. Whilst engaged in the reaping, a band of men accosted them, as was expected, who, having received the appointed answer, gave up the chase in despair. The Lord, meanwhile, had been concealed in this crevice, which had opened to receive Him, and still bears a faint impression of His person.”
ST. GOVAN’S CHAPEL.
According to another tradition which is still extant in the neighbourhood it was St. Govan (Sir Gawain), one of King Arthur’s knights, that took shelter in this cell when he was pursued by his pagan persecutors. The cell has been used from time immemorial as a “wishing place,” and it is said that “all who turn round therein, and steadfastly cling to the same wish during the operation will most certainly obtain their wish before the expiration of the year.” It is still resorted to I believe by young people.
A few yards lower down in the ravine is a holy well, once much resorted to for the cure of diseases. This well was frequently visited seventy years ago, and, it is said that its water was so efficacious that some who came there on crutches were able to walk away without them.
There are, or at least were, somewhere in this part, three upright stones, about a mile distant from each other. The tradition is, that on a certain day these stones meet to “dance the Hay,” at a place called Saxon’s Ford, and when the dance is over, travel back and resume their places.
The late Mr. Thomas, Greenpark, informed me that there was a moving stone of this kind in the parish of Llandyssul, Cardiganshire.