Llanrhian
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The north Pembrokeshire community of Llanrhian includes the farming village of Croesgoch, the seafaring settlement of Trefin and the little slate-exporting harbour of Porthgain.
Although Trefin is set back from the cliffs, it had close links to the sea via the inlets of Aberfelin and Abercastle and was a centre of smuggling in days gone by. The ruins of a mill are preserved at Aberfelin - one of two in the area owned by the bishops of St David's. Porthgain still has many relics of its industrial past as a slate and granite exporting harbour and also the remains of a brickworks once capable of producing 50,000 bricks a week. Local legend has it that during the First World War, German U-Boats called in regularly at remote coves along the coast in order to replenish supplies of fresh water. Croesgoch has an active local history group which has access to a number of documents relating to military heritage, including Home Guard record books and photographs. There is also a Heritage Group in Trefin.
Sketch map compiled by Croesgoch History Group showing the location of
WW2 Home Guard sandbag pill-boxes between Croesgoch and St. David's.
Llanrhian Searchlight Battery:
(SM 843320) This stood at Penlan near Trefin and was constructed in 1941. Nothing now remains of the small complex of Nissen huts and hardstandings which comprised the battery.
Further Reading:
20th Century Defences in Britain published by the Council for British Archaeology
Porthgain and Abereiddi by Peter Davies.
Contacts:
Croesgoch history group contacts are Martin Roberts (01348 837805) or Ron Griffiths (01437 762365).
Locations of Interest
- Croesgoch ROC Post
- (SM 821302) At Hen Felin-wynt is a Royal Observer Corps underground nuclear monitoring post. Back to map
