The Lost Church (Eglwys Fair) -- a Templar or Hospitaller connection?

We know that the Victorian church in Cilgwyn (now closed and used as a private residence) was built around 1880-84 as a replacement for an older church that was probably built around 1550, following the dissolution of religious orders. According to George Owen (1603) it was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin -- that was not at all unusual, although of course the "mother church" in Nevern was dedicated to our local saint, Brynach.

But what of the even older church on the side of Banc Du? It's recorded on the 6" map as "Eglwys Fair" (Mary's Church or the Church of St Mary) but which Mary? Was it the Virgin, or Mary Magdalene? Vanya suggests that there might have been a Templar link in this area, and that they had a special affection for dedications to St Mary Magdalene......

George Owen tells us that in 1603 there were no less than 8 pilgrimage chapels in Nevern parish, at the following locations:

Capel St Thomas, in Morfa quarter
Capel St Ffraid (St Bride) in Crugiau quarter
Capen Gwenfron, in Crugiau quarter (named after a female saint)
Capel Gwenddydd, in Crugiau quarter (named after a female saint)
Capel Reall (St Milburg's Chapel), on Banc y Capel (SN071392) near Llwyngwair Manor
Capel Padrig (a nice Irish connection)
Capel St George (Capel Cynon) at Roft-y-Capel, SN055344 near Tregynon (still marked on the OS map).  Also called Eskergynon.
Capel Cilgwyn (St Mary's Chapel), recorded as being assessed with Nevern in 1291 -- this must be the ruined chapel on Banc Du at SN076347 and marked as "Eglwys Fair"


They all had influential (and not necessarily devout) patrons, and they were used for solemn processions on holy days and as stopping places for pilgrims. Most were devotional chapels associated with religious cults -- in this area almost inevitably the cult of St Brynach. However, by 1603 almost all of them were in ruins. They were probably not "hermit's cells" like the little chapel of St Govan, although some -- like Eglwys Fair -- were in very remote locations.

The ruins of Capel Cynon or Capel St George, Tregynon, listed by Dyfed Archaeology as PRN 1571

Some of the ruined chapels in Pembrokeshire were conferred upon the Order of St John (Slebech Commandery) around 1150. And we also know that some of the ruined chapels (such as Parc yr Hen Gapel near Dinas Cross) were plundered by the removal of stone for the building of nearby farmhouses. Many old chapels became parish churches on the Dissolution of the Monasteries and Religious Orders.

However,  the name "Temple Bar" is found near Nevern, and the name "Felindre Farchog" might suggest some local link with the Templars, who were a military order set up in the context of the Crusades.  The alternative name for Capel Cynon -- namely Capel St George -- is unusual for this part of Wales, and might suggest a link with the Templars.  And Tregynon is not all that far from Banc Du.  But research suggests that the Templars didn't actually have much of a presence in Wales. As for the Commandery of Slebech, the lists of properties (including churches and chapels) belonging to it in 1230, 1338 and 1525 include just one burgage in Newport (Newburgh) and no properties at all in Nevern parish. (Source: Parry, 1996: The Commandery of Slebech in Wales of the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.)  ET Lewis suggests that there were 15 acres of land at Berry Hill which were gifted to the Hospitallers;  but it's not known what they did with it.

We can therefore suggest that there was no strong presence in Nevern or Cilgwyn of either the Knights Templar or the Slebech Commandery in the 400 years prior to the dissolution of religious houses and orders in 1536-1540. It's most likely that the old church on the side of Banc Du was indeed dedicated to St Mary the Virgin.