Church of St Stephen and St Tathan, Caerwent

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Coordinates: 51.6107°N 2.7686°W

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Church of St Stephen and St Tathan (or Tatheus)

"a veritable treasure-house of Roman history"[1]

Church of St Stephen and St Tathan (or Tatheus)

Location in Monmouthshire

Location Caerwent, Monmouthshire

Country Wales
 Denomination Church in Wales

History

Status Parish church

Founded C13th century

Architecture

Functional status Active

Heritage Grade II*

designation

Designated 19 August 1955

Architectural type Church

Style Perpendicular

Administration

Diocese Monmouth

Archdeaconry Monmouth

Deanery Netherwent

Parish Caerwent and Dinham

Clergy

Vicar(s) The Rev'd Sally Ingle-Gillis (Priest-in-Charge)

The Church of St Stephen and St Tathan, Caerwent, Monmouthshire, is a parish church with datable
origins to the 13th century. It is believed to be one of the oldest Christian sites in the county, and possibly
within Wales. The church is sited within the walls of the Roman town. It remains an active parish church
and a Grade II* listed building.

History
It is possible that a very early Christian congregation worshipped at Caerwent in the Roman period,
although there is no evidence that this settlement was on the site of the present church.[2] In 1992, a
pre-Norman cross-head was discovered near the site[3] indicating the presence of a Christian church
predating the Norman Conquest.[2] The oldest part of the existing church is the chancel, dating from the
13th century.[3] The church was restored in 1893–1894 and again in 1910–1912 by G. E. Halliday.[3] It
remains an active church in the parish of Caerwent and Dinham[4] and is a Grade II* listed building.[2]

Architecture and description

The church is built of limestone, some local to the area and some imported from Somerset.[3] It contains a
significant number of Roman artefacts, including an altar dedicated to the god Mars, dating from AD 152.[2]

Notes
1.

"Church of St Stephen & St Tathan, Caerwent at Church of St Stephen & St Tathan – Church –
Caldicot-Monmouthshire". www.visitmonmouthshire.com.

Cadw. "Church of St Stephen and St Tathan, Caerwent (Grade II*) (2014)". National Historic Assets of
Wales. Retrieved 19 April 2022.

Newman 2000, pp. 149–50.

1. "St Stephen and St Tathan, Caerwent".

References
● Newman, John (2000). Gwent/Monmouthshire. The Buildings of Wales. London: Penguin. ISBN
0-14-071053-1.

Categories:

● Grade II* listed churches in Monmouthshire

● History of Monmouthshire
● Church in Wales church buildings
● 13th-century church buildings in Wales