Ffynnon Feugan, Eglwyswrw

Very little is known about St Meugan, who probably lived during the 6th century. It is said that he was educated at St Illtyd's monastery in Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, where several important saintly figures, such as St David, were also educated. He clearly travelled, as his name appears in Anglesey, Denbighshire, Brecknockshire and, in the highest concentration, in Pembrokeshire; it is possible that he also travelled to Cornwall, and he may be same as St Mawgan, a Cornish saint of the 6th century.

Irrespective of his possible links to Cornwall, Meugan's medieval cult was certainly well established in the area around Ffynnon Feugan. St Meugan's Fair, or "Ffair Feigan", was held annually in Eglwyswyw, most probably next to the well itself, on "the mondaye after S^t Martins daye" (according to George Owen, writing in 1603); and Ffynnon Feugan itself was once accompanied by a medieval well chapel.

The earliest explicit mention of the existence of Ffynnon Feugan that I have found dates from the late 16th century, and is, ironically, the letter that spelt the site's partial destruction. The Archwilio database claims that the chapel was "mentioned c.1200 when granted to Slebech Commandery", although, as it ends this statement with a question mark, it is not clear whether this is true or not. The well and chapel were definitely of local significance, and although the chapel managed to survive the Reformation intact, its continued popularity meant that it attracted the attention of influential Protestant figures, who soon had it destroyed. A commission ordering the demolition of the chapel was sent to various local "gent'men", on the instigation of the Privy Council, on the 15th of July, 1592 (a copy of this letter was recorded in George Owen's Vairdre Book):

To o^r very loving ffrendes Robert Vaghan, John Garnons & Owen philippes of penbedo gent' Thomas ap Richard clerke parſone of penbedo, Jeuan Dauid clerke parſone of Bridell & George Owen clerke parſone of whitechurche & to eche and euerie of them

Wheras we have received l'res from the lordes and others of her ma^tes moſt honorable privie counſell to vs and others directed wherbie we ar willed & requiered to Informe o^r ſelves of all places w^thin this Countie of Pembrooke where in tymes paſt there have bene pilgrimages, Images, or offringes, wher unto (as their lps ar Informed divers ſortes of people do vſe to repaire as well in the night ſeaſon, as other tymes of the daie & that in great nombers) and that we ſholde cauſe thos Idolatrous & ſuperſtitious monumentes to be pulled downe, broken & quite defaced, ſo as there be no monument, token or memorie remayning of the ſame, & likewiſe to take order that herafter there be no ſuch vnlaufull reſorte to thos ſuperſticious places but to appoint ſome diſcrete & well affected perſons to have an eie & regarde to thos that notw ſtanding this Inhibicion ſhall repaire to thos places, and to ſe them apprehended & brought before vs, to be ſeverelie puniſhed for their diſobedience & lewde behavio^r, Thes ar therfore by vertue & authoritie of the ſaid honorable l'res & commiſſion to will and requier yo^u being gent'men to vs knowne to be well affected & forwarde in her ma^tes ſervice, & good of the countrie, forthw^th w all convenient Spede to repaire to the place called S^t. meygans where ſomtyme offringes & ſuperſticious pilgrymages have bene vſed, and there to Cauſe to be pulled downe & vtterlie defaced all reliques & monumentes of that chappell, not leaving one ſtone therof vpon an other, & from tyme to tyme to cauſe to be apprehended all ſuch perſone & perſones of what ſexe kinde or ſorte whatſoeuer, that ſhall preſume herafter contrarie to the teno^r and p^rporte of the ſaid honorable commiſſion, to repaire either by night er daie to the ſaid chappell or well in ſuperſticious maner & them to bring or ſende before vs or enie one of vs, to be vſed & dealt w^thall according to their deſertes. hereof praying yo^u to have ſpeciall regarde for the due accompliſhment of the premiſſes, as yo^u tender the ſervice of god & her matie & the benefit and quiet of the countrie we take o^r leave commending you to godes tuicion, hauerforde west, this xiiij^th of July. 1592.

Yo^r very loving ffrendes

George Owen

Albane Stepneth

John' ap Res

Although it is clear that the chapel was completely destroyed, it is not known what then happened to the spring. It seems that pilgrimage to the well was successfully eradicated, and that its association with St Meugan was almost completely forgotten, and it effectively disappeared. It was not visited or mentioned by any 19th century antiquaries, who wrote about other, less important, holy wells in the area, and who do not appear to have known of its existence.

There is no definitive record of the well and chapel's location, but evidence points strongly in the direction of Pistyll Meugan Farm. Multiple place-names in the area contain Meugan's name, including a farm to the east called "Llanfeigan" (the church or chapel of Meugan), and, slightly north-east of that, "Dyffryn Meigan" (Meugan's Vale). Indeed, the 1840s tithe schedule names at least seven fields in the vicinity as "Pistill Morgan". Initially, it may appear that the original location of the chapel and well is impossible to pin down. However, Pistyll Meigan Farm is located directly on the parish boundary, and this is significant for two reasons: firstly, the well is very likely to have been a boundary marker, as such an important place in the parish, and secondly, this means that all other places that bear the name of Meugan are located outside of Eglwyswrw parish. Eglwyswrw is the parish in which Ffair Feigan was annually held; as this fair was almost certainly once held at the spring, this places the chapel and well site within Eglwyswrw parish. Therefore, Ffynnon Feugan and its associated chapel must have been located in the yard of Pistyll Meugan Farm.

It has been suggested that the well and chapel were instead located at Meigan Wells, a farm directly to the north of Pistyll Meugan Farm that is also located on the parish boundary. Indeed, there is a well here. However, this farmstead was not marked on historic Ordnance Survey maps and is relatively new, as is the name "Meigan Wells", so this well is certainly not the true Ffynnon Feugan.

The Royal Commission were also of the opinion that the chapel and well were located in the farm-yard of Pistyll Meugan Farm, and, when they visited the site in 1914, the spring was still extant:

When I visited Pistyll Meugan Farm in the April of 2025, all that remained of the chapel and well was a rusted manhole cover in the centre of what would once have been the farm-yard, but which is now a small group of houses. It is clear that the spring now supplies the surrounding buildings with water, and it almost certainly survives beneath the cover. Intriguingly, this manhole cover is located roughly in the centre of a large circular, flat portion of earth, slightly raised from the ground, that is undoubtedly the precise site of the chapel. It is not known whether any of this chapel's foundations remain.