History

Anglican parish church of Norman origins with detail of the C14 to C15, altered in C17. A church is identified here during the time of Henry, Bishop of Llandaff, 1193-1218. During the early C17 the C15 bellcote was enlarged to form a gabled bell turret, necessitating the construction of heavy supporting walls inside. In 1625 John Jenkin of Llangoven left money in his will for the erection of a new porch. Restoration in the late C19, possibly by Henry Prothero of Cheltenham, whose expenses book records visits in 1886. Church is leased (1999) by Vincent Wildlife Trust for the protection of the colony of bats within. Access possible only in the winter months.

Exterior

Anglican parish church, rubble stone with stone tiled roofs except to nave, which has C20 concrete tiles. Coped gables with cross finials. Small scale, nave with W bell-turret, S porch, chancel and N vestry. Nave W end has four-centred arched doorway with double wave moulding and dripmould, C15 or C16. C20 planked and filleted door. To the right a ogee-pointed stoup, C14 or C15. Large gabled bell-turret is an enlargement of a C15 bellcote with flat-headed 2-light opening with cusped heads and louvres. Enlargement has vent loops on 3 sides and stone tiles to gabled roof.
Nave S has 2-light post-medieval grey stone flat-headed window to left, the lights segmental pointed with unusual raised bead mould delineating lights and spandrel panels. Large porch has segmental-pointed entry with thin wave-and-holow moulding, presumably of 1625, and coped gable. Scissor-rafter roof looks C19, a bell hanging within. Stone and timber bench seats, stone flags and C15 pointed inner door, wave-moulded. C20 plank and fillet door. To right, an eroded C15 deep-recessed flat-headed three-light traceried window with ogee heads to lights and a small lancet window. Chancel S single lancet window with ogee cusped head, and 2-light with cusped ogee heads and C19 inserted transom low down. E end C15 eroded purple stone 2-light window with ogee heads, quatrefoil and hoodmould. Battered wall base. Chancel N has tiny lancet and gabled C19 vestry with 2-light N window with quatrefoil. Nave N has rood stair slight projection with rectangular chamfered light, projection with flat coping and a large C19 flat-headed three-light window with ogee tracery.

Interior

Nave windows blanked with C20 shutters to protect bats. Barrel vaulted roof clad in C20 with pine and inset downlighters. Heavy C17 piers supporting bell-turret. Low possibly Norman chancel arch. Early C20 timber pulpit and low screen. Plain octagonal font between bell-turret piers. Benefaction board recording gift of 1651 above. Whitewashed plastered chancel has C19 boarded timber barrel roof with carved bosses and brattished wall-plate. Some panels painted with texts and religious scenes in 1920s. Splayed wall at NW corner with depressed-arched door to rood loft. C19 rear arches to S windows. C19 decorative tiles to chancel floor. Sanctuary C19 wrought iron standards to wooden altar rail. Late C17 to early C18 floor slabs.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* as a prominently sited medieval church retaining much original fabric including some of possible Norman date.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Church of St Govan at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17738152

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)