England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Penrhos St Cynwyl

The Parish

The parish of Penrhos lies in southern Caernarvonshire roughly 2 miles west of the coastal resort of Pwllheli. Penrhos sits just north of the A499 road which hugs the southern coastline between Pwllheli & Abersoch. Penrhos is a small community built around an out-and-back lane north of the course of the A499 and a quarter mile or so inland from the coastline with the Irish Sea. The small area of this parish was largely devoted to pastoral farming interspersed with some arable of hardy cereals being largely unproductive soils. Between the village and the sea lies the grazing marshes of Afon Penrhos which provided the main economic means. Today visitor numbers have been boosted by the creation of Wales' new National Coastal Trail which passes through albeit not generating many stays given its proximity to Pwllheli. The Afon Penrhos drains most water into the nearby sea traversing eastwards to deposit that through Pwllheli's harbour. Penrhos is sited at just 10 metres above the sea, the highest land hereabouts being the isolated outcrop formed by Carn Saethon & Carneddol which top 224 metres and frame the westward views. Covering just 555 acres Penrhos was one of the smallest parishes in its county, an acreage that supported fewer than 100 parishioners. Like most of Wales Penrhos is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

St Cynwyl's church sits at the western end of the small village where the lane curves back south to join the A499. The church has been deconsecrated and currently forms a holiday let. The church is also not the original church nor the venue for these marriages as the previous thatched church was removed and replaced by today's version in 1842. Built in a Neo-Norman design with the only embellishment being a western bellcote it was a simple chapel appropriate to the size of its parish. Obviously, unless taking a let. access is limited to views from public rights of way.