England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Crunwear St Elidyr

The Parish

The parish of Crunwear is located in the extreme southeast of Pembrokeshire, indeed it forms part of the border with neighbouring Carmarthenshire and is close to Pembrokeshire's southern coast. Crunwear is located on the A477 road which connects Pembroke with St Clears in Carmarthenshire and it is about 6 miles southwest of the latter. There is no real village as such within the parish although the hamlets of Llanteg & Llanteglos are the principal settlements, the first on the A477 the second a quarter mile to the south in lanes. The area was principally used for arable agriculture, albeit with a little pastoral too. The principal drainage of the parish is the small stream which forms the border of the two counties and reaches the sea at Amroth. Crunwear is sited at 120 metres above the sea although the church and neighbouring small hills are 40 metres higher. Pembrokeshire parishes are quite small in extent and Crunwear is no exception, it covered around 2,000 acres and supported about 280 parishioners. In common with most of Wales there is no mention of Crunwear in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Elidyr's church sits isolated in farmland high on a hill above the A477, a narrow lane (grass growing from its centre) rises from Llanteg towards a farm and a small sign points the way up footpaths (grassy track) to the church. The church was closed for worship in 2009 and it is uncertain for how long access will be allowed. The church was largely rebuilt in Victorian times (1847) but retained the 15th century western tower, this seems out of proportion to my eyes with the rest. Not content with rebuilding the church there was a further restoration in 1878 which also added the southern porch. The church sits within a tree-lined circular ancient graveyard, the trees do encroach closely onto the building which rather restricts the photographic angles.