St Stephen and St Tathan
Caerwent, Gwent
The parish church of St Mary is mostly Norman with its massive walls and its chancel arch. It consists of nave and chancel, a tower at the west end, and a large porch on the south side. In the north wall is the remains of what is thought to have been a priest’s door, and over it is a massive stone with Greek shaped cross cut into it.
This might be Saxon, or at least early Norman. There is also a built in doorway in the north wall of the chancel. The east window and another on the south side of the chancel were probably built by an unskilled workman who was trying to imitate something better.
In the churchyard, lie the remains of a fine churchyard cross. Some people suppose the church to have been built by Harold. Its plainness and the military character of the tower with its turrets, and its proximity to the traditional site of Harold’s castle lead credence to this view.
