Community Heritage

Every community in Pembrokeshire has a rich and diverse history from prehistoric times to the present day.

Highlights

St Dogmaels

The name St. Dogmaels is associated with the Welsh saint Dogfael. How then does one explain the equally persistent Llandudoch (locally pronounced Llan'doch)? Were Dogfael and Tudoch two different saints? Or do both names refer to the same saint or founder, with 'mael' (prince) and 'tud' (land or people of) being added to Dog/doch as in Dog mael and Tud doch? It is clear that the place was very important in the pre-Norman period. For example, in 988 the Vikings ravaged Llanbadarn, St. Davids, Llantwit Major, Llancarfan and Llandudoch: all important places in the pre-Norman church.

Stepaside, Pleasant Valley and Wiseman's Bridge

Inevitably there have been attempts to explain this tantalising name. The fond local belief is that Oliver Cromwell, on his march to Pembroke in 1648 gave orders to his men to 'step aside' and take victuals at this point. In the absence of actual evidence, the tradition - which has given rise to a modern inn sign - must be viewed with caution. Two holdings called Stepaside existed in the late 17th and 18th centuries. One in Amroth parish was the property of the Kilgetty Estate. The other, in St Issells, was acquired by that estate about 1795.

Lampeter Velfrey

Before the Norman invasion, Wales was divided into administrative areas called commotes. One of these was Efelffre (anglicised as Velfrey). It covered what are now the parishes of Lampeter Velfrey, Llanddewi Velfrey and Crinow.

St Florence

St. Florence lies some three miles west of Tenby, in the valley of the Ritec, at the foot of the northern slopes of the Ridgeway; the southern part of the village straddles the river. It is served only by narrow, minor roads, with the Tenby/Sageston B4318 to the north and the ancient Ridgeway road to the south.

Saundersfoot

The name has been in existence for many centuries, but it referred originally to a property and not a village. It is likely that the first element was the name of a local family, and that ‘foot’ was a topographical feature.

Tenby

On Castle Hill more than 10 centuries ago there was a fort. It is described in a Welsh poem `In Praise of Tenby’(see a mural interpretation of the poem on the Castle Hill). This fortress gave Tenby its name, deriving from Dinbych - little fortress. How vulnerable the coast was is revealed by Viking place names like Caldey and on Tenby’s north shore, Goscar Rock.

Carew

Two villages are described in the Milton and Carew Cheriton leaflet. Other settlements are Carew itself, West Williamston (in 1362 Williamston Harvill), Sageston (Sagerston in 1362) and Carew Newton (New Carrewe in 1471) - see Dr B.G. Charles, The Placenames of Pembrokeshire, 1992.

Manorbier

Manorbier has been identified by Dr. B.G. Charles as a combination of the Old Welsh 'mainaur' or 'maenawr' which was an administrative division, and the personal name 'Pir' or 'Pyr'. The same element occurs in the pre-Norse name of Caldey - 'Ynys Byr' (Pyr's Island). Another explanation sometimes suggested for the second element is that it is derived from an Old English word, either 'bere' meaning corn or barley, or 'baer' pasture. The tithe map of 1840 shows lands called 'Beer. A popular local tale that the name arose because of a contest between a man and a bear cannot be taken seriously.

Dale

The old red sandstone rocks of the area were formed during the late Silurian and Devonian period (420-354 million years ago). Since that time the landscape has been shaped by changes in sea level. The deep harbour of Milford Haven and the Dale valley are part of a major fault line, the Ritec Fault.

Heritage of South Pembrokeshire

Away from the coast and the Daugleddau Estuary, the attractive rural landscape of South Pembrokeshire is scattered with small villages and communities which are connected by a network of footpaths, bridleways and narrow country lanes. It is an area of great beauty and tranquillity, where wildlife abounds and history has left its mark in many guises. Exploring this picturesque and unspoilt area will show you how slowly it has changed over the centuries - and help you unearth a unique and fascinating local culture and heritage.

Clunderwen

Clunderwen, or an older spelling 'Clynderwen', is derived from the name of a nearby mansion. The name dates back to the early 17th century at least. 'Clun' means a meadow or clearing and 'derwen' means oak, and nearly 350 years later there are still oaks in the vicinity. Clynderwen Estate was purchased by Abel Gower Esq. in 1825 and the house was re-built in the sixties. It was the influence of the Gower family which led to the name of their house being applied to the station and village in 1875.

Lawrenny

Evidence of early prehistoric inhabitants in the area includes cooking hearths and Iron Age enclosures. The name Lawrenny probably derives from the Welsh.

Lydstep

Lydstep straddles the border of Manorbier and Penally. The name means an inlet or bay and recalls Viking raids on this coast a thousand years ago or more. Lyd may have been a personal name.

Llanddewi Velfrey

The name reinforces the pre-Norman origin of the present community. The ‘Llan’ or ‘church’ is dedicated to St. David (Dewi Sant - the patron saint of Wales). ‘Velfrey’ derives from the commote of Efelffre, a pre-Norman territorial unit which also covered neighbouring Lampeter Velfrey and Crinow.

Templeton

Templeton is on The Knightsway that takes walkers from Amroth on the coast inland to Blackpool Mill on the upper reaches of the Eastern Cleddau. Other paths also link Templeton to Canaston Woods walks.

Bosherston

The village and the area around have had more than one name. In the early Middle Ages it was Stackpole. It is possible that raiders from the sea used the word 'stack' for the rock at the entrance to Broad Haven (Church Rock). 'Pole' referred to the pool or bay.

Llanteg

Today the accepted form of the name is 'Llanteg' but 'Lanteague' has been much used. The Congregational chapel bears this spelling and the former gentry house was East Lanteague. Both forms are long standing but 'Llanteg' is the earlier. It may refer to a church (Welsh llan), but Dr. B.G. Charles, the authority on Pembrokeshire place names has found 'Nanteg' occurring at the same date as 'Llanteg' and suggests that the name derives from nant and teg - meaning something like pleasant stream.

Hundleton & Maiden Wells

The name Hundleton existed in the later Middle Ages and possibly means ‘a farm where hounds were kept’. Possibly it was associated with nearby Orielton (Orieldum in a document of 1335). ‘Maiden Wells’ goes back at least to 1336 (‘Maydene Welle’). The plentiful springs nearby used to feed 3 cisterns which supplied water for the town of Pembroke.

East Williamston & Broadmoor

Some 8 estates owned land locally in the 19th century. The predominant interest was that of Lawrenny. There are two Williamstons just a few miles apart. In the Middle Ages they were distinguished by a following name, possibly that of a manorial owner.

Newport

The ancient township of Newport lies between the north facing slope of Carn Ingli and the south bank of the River Nevern estuary, surrounded by diverse and beautiful landscapes. Situated on the edge of the Preseli Hills within Britain's only coastal National Park, the countryside here is rich in local and natural history.

Redberth

Forms similar to the present name existed in the Middle Ages, for example ‘Redebord’, ‘Ridebard’ and ‘Redbarte’. It may be that these derive from a Welsh name ‘rhyd’ ‘ford’. There was a significant ford in the Carew river on which Redberth lies, at Norchard. Possibly the second element in the name comes from ‘y berth’ - ‘bush’: ‘Ford by the bush’.

Begelly and Kilgetty

Begelly and Kilgetty are part of the modern Community Council area of Kilgetty Begelly. Begelly is an ancient parish. The name may derive from the Welsh word for "shepherd": BUGAIL. If so, Begelly would mean something like "the territory or estate of Bugail". Thomas Chapel derives from St Thomas Chapel, a chapel of ease under Begelly. The original Kilgetty (a gentry house) was in the ancient parish of St Issells. Dr B G Charles says that the name is formed from the Welsh Cil "a nook" and a personal name "Cetti".

Jeffreyston, Loveston, Yerbeston & Cresselly

Jeffreyston (or Jeffreston), Loveston and Yerbeston are names which refer to a farm or holding of a particular person: Geoffrey's/Jeffrey's farm, Lovell's farm and probably (according to Dr. B.G. Charles on whom our study of local placenames depends) Gerbard's farm. These names became current after the Normans established themselves in the Earldom of Pembroke (from the late eleventh century). Who lived here and owned the land previously we do not know, except that they were Welsh and the descendants of the Iron Age Celts. Another settlement name is Cresselly which is thought to derive from 'Croes' or the English form 'Cross' followed by a personal name 'Eli' or 'Heli'.

Angle

Angle village is set in a valley on the southern shore of the Milford Haven Estuary, at the south western tip of Pembrokeshire. Angle Parish is bounded on three sides by coastline which varies from high rugged cliffs to the beautiful beach at West Angle Bay and the tidal flats of East Angle.

Amroth and Summerhill

Amroth is an ancient parish, a contemporary community and a coastal village. Dr. B. G. Charles suggests that the name means 'on the stream called Rhath', 'R(h)ath' being the now lost name of the stream which enters the sea south of Amroth church.

Ambleston

The Community (Parish) of Ambleston, which comprises the village of Ambleston and the hamlets of Wallis and Woodstock, lies close to the centre of Pembrokeshire almost in the shadow of the Preseli Hills. Predominantly a farming community, changes in agriculture have led to diversification in employment and the use of buildings and land. There are uncultivated areas at Ambleston Common and Wallis Moor. The latter was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1998 for its importance as wet heath and marshy grassland which is a habitat for the Marsh Fritillary butterfly. Eleven species of dragonfly, orchids, otters and other valued wildlife have been recorded on the Moor. It is administered by the Countryside Council for Wales.

Croesgoch

At a crossroads on the road from Fishguard to St Davids lies the village of Croesgoch. The first recorded use of the name Croesgoch was in 1813 in the Bishop's Transcripts of the Parish Records. There are a number of possible explanations for the origin of this name. Croes (Cross) could simply refer to the crossroads and Coch (red) may refer to the colour of the soil. Another more intriguing explanation is the story of an ancient battle and mass slaughter, resulting in a mythical river of blood that formed the shape of a cross. It is not certain whether this battle took place during the Dark Ages or even earlier during Roman times.

Wolfscastle

Croeso i Ogledd Sir Benfro. This part of Pembrokeshire has a history stretching back to the dawn of time - we live on either side of Treffgarne Gorge, with its Pre-Cambrian rock formations, marking the divide between what George Owen of Henllys once called the Welshry of North Pembrokeshire and the Englishry of the South. Ours is an area rich in historical remains and virtually every crag and rock, field and lane, mansion, cottage, church and chapel bears evidence of past inhabitants and their activities.

Narberth

The town has grown around the walls of its stone castle, but the name is older than the castle. Narberth is derived from ‘Arberth’, the pre-Norman name for the district (or commote). This Celtic heritage is also represented in the myth and legend of the Mabinogion - ancient Welsh folk tales that were written down in the 14th century, originating from an earlier tradition of oral storytelling. Two branches of the Mabinogi in particular are centred on ‘Arberth’, which was reputedly the court of Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed.

Freshwater East

Freshwater East Bay is bounded to the north and south by cliffs designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI's) because of their geological and biological features. It has a safe sandy beach from which sand dunes extend to the coast roads.

St Ishmael's

St. Ishmaels or ’Tish’ takes its name from the church dedicated to the 6th century Cornish saint, a disciple of St. David. The tidal pools and salt marshes of The Gann Estuary are small in area but very diverse.

Lamphey and Hodgeston

Lamphey and Hodgeston are ancient parishes. The present day Community is Lamphey with Hodgeston. The coast forms the southern boundary of Lamphey and Hodgeston. The name Lamphey probably goes back to the time when pioneering preachers were endeavouring to Christianise the area.

Mynachlog-Ddu, Llangolman and Llandeilo

The parishes of Mynachlog-Ddu, Llangolman and Llandeilo lie on the south-facing slopes of the Preselis. The northern boundary of Mynachlog-ddu coincides with the mountain skyline which can be seen from a great distance.