Who We Are
We are a group of thirteen churches in North Pembrokeshire located in villages, in hamlets and amongst fields. The city of St Davids is at the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic. Our thirteen churches, extending from Llanrhian and Mathry in the north to Roch and Solva in the south, lie in an arc that curves round immediately behind the cathedral city. This is primarily farming land, but also embraces a considerable section of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. It is an area of stunning, unspoilt natural beauty.
There was a time when every parish church had its own vicar. But the world has changed and churches, particularly in thinly-populated areas such as ours, have had to introduce new ways of organising themselves. At the start of 2018, therefore, our thirteen churches were brought together in a united Local Ministry Area. The thirteen churches work together while still maintaining their individual character; for example, the form of service might be more traditional in one church than is the case with its immediate neighbour.
Our Local Ministry Area has two full-time vicars: Canon Michael Rowlands and Revd Diana Hoare. They are supported by the Revd Enid Morgan, formally described by the diocese as Active Retired, and Mrs Janet Ingram, the Education Officer for the diocese of St Davids. In addition, there are Worship Leaders, lay members of congregations who have received training in how to organise and conduct a religious service. Having a team of people like this means that a full programme of services can regularly be maintained across the entire Local Ministry Area.
Brawdy: Church of St David
St David’s Church, Brawdy, may be early medieval in origin. It is situated some 330 metres from a road depicted as Roman on historic Ordnance Survey mapping, and some 1.8 kilometres north-east of the coast. The church lies some 430 metres west-northwest of Brawdy Castle Iron Age promontory fort, which...
Granston: Church of St Catherine
Granston Church stands on a mound veiled by trees, overlooking Granston Farm. The present building dates from 1877, replacing an early medieval church. The original foundations of the church seem to have been retained: a plain edifice of a nave and chancel with a squinch arch – lit from the...
Hayscastle: Church of St Mary
Wherever there is a castle in Wales the church linked to the castle will be dedicated to St Mary. Consequently, it comes as no surprise that the church in Hayscastle is St Mary’s, even if there is very little evidence of the castle still in existence today. Hayscastle Church is...
Jordanston: Church of St Cwrda
The settlement at Jordanston lies on the ridge of land that separates the valley of two streams: the Cleddau Wen and the upper reaches of the Western Cleddau. The recent discovery of a pair of standing stones near to the church car park is evidence that this was a site...
Llanhywel: Church of St Hywel
A nineteenth-century guidebook describes Llanhywel as a parish ‘pleasantly situated in the north-western part of the county, and nearly in the centre of a peninsula stretching into St George’s channel, and terminating in the promontory called St. David’s Head. The surrounding scenery is pleasing, but not characterized by any peculiarity...
Llanrhian: Church of St Rhian
St Rhian’s Church is situated within a polygonal churchyard, at the centre of what was a farmyard complex. The site is thought to be early medieval in origin. The cruciform church is a Grade II* listed building, constructed from random rubble stone with low-pitched slate eaves roofs. It consists of...
Mathry: Church of the Holy Martyrs
Set on a hill commanding panoramic views of North Pembrokeshire and the coast, Mathry has claims to be one of the oldest settlements in Pembrokeshire. Mathry Church, visible for miles around, lies in the centre of the village. The present church, the fifth to occupy the site, dates from 1869....
Nolton: Church of St Madoc
Nolton is a village and parish on the coast of St Brides Bay, five-and-a-half miles west of Haverfordwest. The name was originally Old-tun and this, together with the dedication of the church to St Madoc, suggests that the place was a pre-existing Welsh settlement appropriated by English immigrants around the...
Roch: Church of St Mary
At the heart of the Village of Roch stands the parish church of St Mary. It was constructed in mid-nineteenth century on the site of an ancient place of worship, below the imposing castle, which was built in the early thirteenth century. The first church on the site was established...
St Lawrence: Church of St Lawrence
St Lawrence is a twelfth-century church nestled on the outside of Welsh Hook near Wolfscastle and Letterston. It has justly been described as ‘a lovely, ancient church in the rural heart of Pembrokeshire’ and as a ‘spiritual place of peace and prayer’. St Lawrence is off the standard tourist trail...
St Nicholas: Church of St Nicholas
Known in Welsh as Tremarchog (The Knight’s Estate), St Nicholas is a peaceful, picturesque village on the Strumble Head peninsula (Pencaer). St Nicholas Church is a little gem nestling in the heart of the village. It was last restored in 1865, but there may well have been a place of worship...
Solva: Church of St Aidan
St Aidan’s is located in Upper Solva, above the village’s pretty and popular harbour. This is the newest church in our local ministry area, having been built in 1879. Consequently, don’t expect to encounter the ancient features that are present in most of our other churches. But there is a...
Whitchurch: Church of St David
St David’s is situated in the centre of the hamlet of Whitchurch. It is a parish church of thirteenth or fourteenth century origin, and then heavily restored between 1872 and 1874 to plans of Charles Buckeridge and executed by JL Pearson. At the time of his death in 1873 Buckeridge...
