Cheriton - Bursting with History

One of the smallest hamlets located in Gower, is Cheriton. “Cheriton” names derives from the names “church town”.   

The first church dating from the 11^th century, had been built by the family of Payn de Tuberville, who then granted it to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John at Siebech.

The hamlet evolves around the site of 13^th century church, St. Cadoc.  During the 19^th century, the present church was built replacing the 13^th century one.  The church depicted on the 18^th century map was located to a mill, which ceased to be used during the 19^th century and also to demolished during similar time was the “Great House”.  The “Great House”, the Glebe House was one of the last houses to be built in Gower by the Order of Knights of St. John. During the 15^th century.

During 1770, the churchyard was the scene of a brawl between members of the Lucas family, who locked the rector in the church so that his sensibilities should not be disturbed by the sight of the bloodshed.

Further changes were made to the church during 1934.  Today the church is Grade I listed.

Notable burials in the churchyard, are Reverend John David Davies and Ernest Jones.

Reverend John David Davies who was also the vicar of Cheriton became famous locally for his writings of what became too known as The Gower Bible.  These volumes of works depicted the local customs, history and local legends of Gower.

John who was born 1831, Oxwich is recorded on the 1911 Census, aged 80, residing at Llanmadoc Rectory, Reynoldston.  Dying later on during the year.

More information of J.D. Davies can be found at

https://swanseafamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2020/09/llanmadoc-art-and-smallest-church.html

Ernest Jones born 1879, Gowerton was a Welsh neurologist and psychoanalyst.  During his lifetime he was a friend and colleague of Sigmund Freud, who he met during 1908.  Jones became Freud’s official biographer.

Ernest is best remembered for his marriage to the Welsh musician Morfydd Llwyn Owen during 1917.  The following year, 1918, whilst holidaying at South Wales, Morfydd became seriously ill with acute appendicitis.  Emergency surgery was carried out at Ernest’s parents house, Mumbles.  The local surgeon was an able to save her life, Morfydd died from the effects of chloroform poisoning.

Morfydd was buried at Oystermouth Cemetery, and headstone bears the inscription having been chosen by Jones from Goethe’s Faust “Das Unbeschreibliche, heir ist’s getan”

More about Morfydd Llwyn Owen can be on the following link

https://www.theswanseabay.co.uk/2018/09/27/jewish-cemetery-update/?highlight=Morfydd%20

Ernest did marry for the second time 1919 Katherine Joki, a Jewish economics graduate from Moravia.  They went on to have four children.  The eldest daughter, Gwenith died when aged 7 during the interwar influenza epidemic.  

Ernest was proud of his Welsh roots, was a member of Welsh Nationalist Party, Plaid Cyrmu.  He enjoyed and loved the Gower Peninsula, having explored during his youth.  He purchased a holiday cottage in Llanmadoc and used a a holiday retreat. During 1956, he was instrumental in helping securing Gower as the region in the UK as the Area of Outstanding Beauty.

Ernest was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1942; Honorary President of the International Psychoanalytical Association, 1949; awarded from Swansea University an Honorary Doctor of Science, 1954.

Four year later, 1958, Ernest died and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.  His ashes were later laid with his eldest daughter’s grave at St. Cadoc church.

Cheriton is also the birthplace of the author and first-class cricketer, William Collins.  William was born 1848.  Educated at Radley College, and then at Jesus College, Oxford. 

Whilst a student William did not feature in the Oxford University cricket team. He eventually went on to play during 1884, when he played for Gentlemen of England and played against Oxford University.  Again, playing for the Gentlemen of England team in 1886.

Held with high regards from C. I. Thornton, who invited William to play for Lord Londesborough’s XI team, playing against the Australian team.  Batting number 11, William scored 56 runs.  Again during 1887 at the Scarborough Festival William played for the Gentlemen of England team.

1888 William was invited to play with the Oxford University Past and Present cricket team.  His last appearance at firs class cricket, was three years later,1891, played for H. Philipson’s XI team against Oxford.  In total William, scored 157 runs and taking 19 wickets.

William also played at county level, playing for Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and for one match for Shropshire.

Outside of cricket, William was a contributor to Blackwood’s Magazine, also publishing two works of fiction “The Don and Undergraduate”, 1899 and “A scholar of his College”, 1900.  William died January 1932, Norfolk.