England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
St Brides

The Parish

The parish of St Brides lies in the extreme southwest of Pembrokeshire, indeed it forms part of Pembrokeshire's Irish Sea coast. St Brides is located about 11 miles southwest of the market town of Haverfordwest almost at the end of an extensive peninsula of land that juts out into the Irish Sea. St Brides lies at the end of a narrow lane that leads northwestwards from the B4327 road (Haverfordwest to Dale). St Brides is a tiny fishing harbour and religious site, there is no village just a cluster of cottages about church and slipway plus scattered farms over the extensive parish. St Brides had a mixed income, the port was extensively used by fishermen, in particular for the catching & salting of herring, the hinterland was extensively pastoral. Today St Brides is a tourist site, day visitors and hikers on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path flock to the picturesque site in its deeply indented rocky bay, a pretty place indeed. Being located at sea level there is no significant drainage as such through the hamlet although the southern part of the parish drains through a small stream and exits to the north of Dale. The parish was of a typical, extensive, size for western parishes and supported a mere 180 parishioners. In common with most of Wales St Brides is not mentioned in Domesday Book as that volume didn't cover this area.

The Church

St Bride's church (also rendered as St Bridget in some sources) lies just a few yards from the sea at the end of St Bride's access lane. Pevsner is a little reticent in dating the building, mentioning only the Decorated style transept, which style would place it in the early 14th century. Other sources state the building is Norman in origin. The church is a fairly plain and simple building with nave, chancel, north transept and a tiny aisle. The curious double bellcote is an unusual feature. The church sits in a rather open aspect behind a low stone wall, a metal gateway at the western end gives access. There are no restrictions to photography in this rather open landscape.