Historic Church Hits the Market
St Marcellus Church in the Pembrokeshire village of Martletwy, a Grade II listed medieval building with origins dating back to at least 1231, is being sold at auction with a guide price of £125,000 to £130,000. The property, no longer in active religious use, offers a rare opportunity to own a piece of Welsh history, complete with a unique stone effigy of a medieval priest embedded in the chancel wall.
The church was first mentioned in writings in 1231, in a confirmation of a grant to the Knights Hospitallers of Slebech. Records show that the first vicar of Martletwy, Peter Filiol, was appointed in 1317. The building retains a mix of medieval and Norman features, including a Norman font sitting on a 13th-century base. According to the website Heneb, the churchyard contains ancient bones, and a memorial slab featuring a moulded human priest's head with a 15th-century inscription was discovered during restoration work in 1879. The tomb effigy commemorates Sir Philip, an early medieval priest of the parish.
Property Features and Restoration
The current owners have recently completed a full roof restoration using brand new slate tiles. The interior boasts a lofty vaulted timber ceiling, decorative tiled flooring, a wooden pulpit, a substantial lancet window, and a stone-carved font. The altar, currently removed, was originally brought from a redundant church in Yerbeston but previously had been in a London church and bears fire damage from World War II bombings. The organ by Albert Keates, also removed, was originally from a Yorkshire church and installed in 1962.
The church sits in the quiet rural village of Martletwy, surrounded by farmland and woodland, near the Eastern Cleddau estuary. It is roughly seven miles from the market town of Narberth and within five miles of the A40, providing access to Haverfordwest, Carmarthen, and the M4 corridor. The property includes a good-sized area to the rear that could serve as a garden, though it requires clearing. The churchyard itself is not part of the sale.
Auction Details and Viewing
The church will be auctioned on Thursday, August 6, between noon and 3pm, by JJ Morris, Narberth. Interested parties can call 01834 860260 for more information. The sale represents a chance to adapt the historic building for alternative uses, subject to planning permissions. For more property stories, join the Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group.
