Saints Nicholas & John - Churchyard - Monkton, Pembroke, Wales - Churchyard Cemeteries on Waymarking.com

There are only a few headstones left standing in their original positions, most had probably fallen, relocated, & stood against the boundary wall of the Churchyard. Some of the headstones were used as flag stones & laid near the church entrances as foot paths.

Most of the burials at this location were in unmarked graves, as headstones did not become popular until after the 17th century.

Human Bones
"When the floor of the nave was levelled, hundreds of human bones were found, mingled in a most extraordinary fashion: skulls, legs, ribs and other portions of human remains lying side by side, or crossing each other, without any order or arrangement of any kind. These were reverently collected and re-interred in a large grave twelve feet square and seven and a half feet deep under the shadow of the north wall of the Churchyard. The small recess in the wall near the porch door was probably for a vessel containing holy water." Text Source; (visit link)

From the Church Gazetteer;
"The ancient church was originally within the castle of Pembroke and given to the Norman abbey of St Martin (Sayes) in 1098. The north nave wall, with buttresses, is from the ancient church. After the dissolution of the monasteries the church deteriorated, with only the nave in use for the parish; the choir and sancturary lost and windows blocked up. In the late 1800s it was restored and enlarged. The church belongs to the Monkton Rectorial Benefice, with ten other churches." Text Source; (visit link)

History & partial Description of the Exterior, from the British listed building Website;
History;
"Anglican parish church. In 1098 a church of St Nicholas was founded within Pembroke Castle and granted to the Abbey of Seez in Normandy. As it is possible that the first castle was at Monkton, this may be the foundation date. As a daughter house of Seez, its fortunes fell with the French wars when alien houses were sequestrated, finally closed in 1414. It was then administered by a royal steward until being granted to St Albans Abbey in 1443. After 1532 the nave was retained as parish church, the W and N windows blocked. There was already a wall to the chancel with low round arch and the c1500 canopied tomb against it. The rest became ruinous." Text source; (visit link)

Street address of Church:
13, Church Terrace, Pembroke, Pembrokshire, Wales. SA71 4LW

Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]
Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]

Name of church or churchyard: Priory & Parish Church of St Nicholas & St John Approximate Size: Large (100+)

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Date Logged Log User Rating   01/26/2016 veritas vita visited it