A TikTok influencer with over 22,000 followers is helping to put Pembrokeshire’s St Govan’s Chapel on the map after reacting with awe to its unique cliffside location.
Welsh influencer Christopher Lee visited the chapel last week and exclaimed, “I’m scared, I’m actually scared,” as he made his way down the worn stone steps to the ancient stone chapel.
@christopherlevans I visited St Govans Chapel in Pembrokeshire in West Wales… This was built in the thirteenth century, although parts were built in the sixth century where a monk moved into the caves to live. Have you ever been here? #Welsh #Wales #stgovanschapel ♬ original sound - Christopher Lee
Nestling into the rugged cliffs of Pembrokeshire on the Castlemartin Peninsula, parts of the ancient stone chapel date back to the 6th century, the origin of a haunting backstory.
The cove is said to have once been the refuge of an Irish monk who took shelter there after escaping from pirates.
According to legend, St Govan was hiding on the cliffs when they miraculously opened around him, shielding him from capture before sealing shut again. He founded a chapel on the spot and, over the centuries, the area became a site of pilgrimage.
Built from local limestone in the 13th century, this little chapel remains surprisingly intact after spending centuries battered by fierce coastal winds and waves.
Visitors willing to make the journey down steep steps carved into the cliffside are rewarded with a simple yet awe-inspiring interior, including an ancient stone altar.
National Churches Trust says: “A bare stone altar, much older than the stone walls, is the focus inside, with low benches and a ‘piscina’ in the wall, where the priest would wash his hands, beneath which flows a spring. Go through the doorway to the tiny cave, this was St Govan’s original hermit’s cell, can you see the grooves in the stone? These are said to be the imprint of his ribs.”
Travel TikTokers like Christopher are taking to the platform to share videos on how to find the abandoned site, following this newfound interest among history lovers and dark tourism enthusiasts.
Matthew Fox, CEO of LateRooms.com, said: “TikTok does a great job of shining a spotlight on these hidden travel gems that would otherwise be off the radar for many. After all, most people visit Pembrokeshire for its stunning beaches, not its spooky legends.
“It’s great to see tourists rediscovering St Govan’s Chapel and bringing centuries-old legends to a new audience. The rise of the ‘dark tourism’ trend, where travellers deliberately visit eerie, atmospheric, and supposedly haunted locations, means we’re seeing more people seeking out places with unique history and air of mystery.
That said, chapel-goers and devotees of the old hymn ‘A Wonderful Saviour’, which contains the line: “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock” may be questioning how ‘dark’ and ‘spooky’ the legend really is.
The identity of St Govan is shrouded in mystery. National Churches Trust identifies St Govan as an Irish monk from Wexford, who died in 586. Others maintain he was a native Pembrokeshire saint, and some connect him with Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s nephew and a Knight of the Round Table, who is said to have retired to the area as a hermit after Arthur’s death.