Church of St Stephen and St Tathan, Caerwent

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.

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
51.6107°N 2.7686°W / 51.6107; -2.7686
Location	Caerwent, Monmouthshire
Country	Wales
Denomination	Church in Wales
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	C13th century
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
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)

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]