St Decuman's Church
Photo by Andy Marshall
Rhoscrowther Church is a Grade I listed building which is dedicated to Saint Decuman. The area was of historical importance many hundreds of years before the church was built and is an important early Christian and pre-Christian site. St Decuman was born in Rhoscrowther in the 5th Century and is locally known as St Degman. The historic name for Rhoscrowther is Llandegman, which means Degman's Church. The church was one of the seven most important churches in Dyfed and had an Abbot in charge and it was a centre of ecclesiastical learning, linked to St David's. It was the main Church in the cantref of Penfro, part of the Kingdom of Dyfed, and was one of the Bishop-houses of Dyfed. Parts of the Church date back to the 13th and 14th centuries.
The churchyard also includes a Grade II listed base and shaft of a medieval cross which may have been deliberately damaged during Cromwell's Reformation. A grade II listed Schoolroom dating back to 1851 is also in the churchyard and the Church and Churchyard themselves are adjacent to a Bronze Age burnt mound, showing the early importance of the area. St Degman's Well is located close to St Decuman's Church and is dated from the medieval period. It is a holy well that was originally arched over, similar to other wells in the Rhoscrowther area. The well isn't a deep well but is more like a spring and it is said that even in the driest of summers fresh water can be collected at St Degman's Well. It is also said that this may be the burial site of the decapitated head of St Decuman, hence its holiness and its ability to never run dry.
The Church and churchyard have many important and interesting features and the churchyard is a haven for nature. From the Southern side of the churchyard you can sometimes hear the sound of a trickling spring and you can hear the wild birds singing. From the South-West corner of the churchyard looking over towards the East during the spring and summertime, many wildflowers and plants are in bloom. This creates a beautiful blanket of nature which for those of you who are out and about early enough looks especially magical during sunrise.
Although there is no longer a regular Sunday service at St Decuman's Church it is open every day and is still used and visited regularly. The Church is under the care of Friends of Friendless Churches which is a charity organisation that also cares for the Grade I listed St Michael and All Angels' Church in nearby Castlemartin. Rhoscrowther Church has recently hosted choir practices of children from local school choirs, Easter sunrise gatherings and other events on important dates in the Christian calendar. The church still holds weddings, baptisms and funerals and has been the venue for the Friends of Friendless Churches AGM. There are modern-day burials in the churchyard as well as burials that date back many hundreds of years. Many of the graves are of people who lived and grew up in the Rhoscrowther area and the churchyard is still regularly visited and attended to.
There are many features within the Church that have significant
importance, such as the impressive church organ which is still played every week. There is a Ladies Chapel, two Fonts and a large Pembrokeshire bell tower. The church bells are still rung to mark special occasions such as King Charles III's Coronation. There are many monuments, statues and effigies in the church and the church has four chapels that were built by the four significant families of the parish. One of those families was the Perrot family who owned nearby Eastington manor. Sir John Perrot, who was also the governor of Carew Castle, had a connection to King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I (please see the heritage page for more about this). One of the oldest parts of St Decuman's Church dates from around the 13th century and was once a chapel (St Degman's Chapel). Long before that it was
the original hermit's cell of Decuman. This very old part of the Church was redesigned into a vestry during the renovations in 1909 which were carried out by respected Church architect W. D. Caröe. The company he founded, Caroe Architecture, is still doing notable work today and designed the inner portico of the 'Remember Me' Covid 19 memorial in St Paul's Cathedral.
Visiting St Decuman's
St Decuman's Church is open every day and has many visitors throughout the year. From people visiting loved ones in the churchyard and tourists visiting the area, to visits from professional photographers, journalists, architects and school children to name but a few. Most of the visitors to St Decuman's sign our visitor's book which shows they come from all corners of the four countries of the United Kingdom, as well as from the Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Cyprus, South Africa, the USA, Australia and New Zealand amongst others. The visitor's book is full of some wonderful messages of appreciation of the church and the work that goes into its upkeep, as well as the enjoyment of the peaceful, scenic countryside surrounding the church. There are stories from visitors about the fond memories they have that were made during their youth and heartwarming messages to loved ones that are no longer with us. Please come and visit St Decuman's Church, take a look at our visitor's book, leave your own message and become part of our story.
