England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Steynton St Peter & St Cewydd

The Parish

The parish of Steynton lies in western central Pembrokeshire, because of the extensive inlet of Milford Haven it forms part of Pembrokeshire's convoluted coastline with the Irish Sea. Steynton is the parish which covers not only the substantial village of Steynton but also the rapidly expanding port of Milford Haven. Steynton village is located roughly 2 miles north of Milford Haven on the A4078 road which connects the port with Haverfordwest. Nowadays Milford Haven port is the site of extensive oil processing facilities and is one of the major oil ports of the UK. At the time of this transcript it was still a substantial port albeit less devoted to petroleum products, Steynton parish covered a substantial inland area too and hear the economy was farming with both arable and pastoral farming practiced, a small mining industry was intermittently in progress to vary the economy. Modern Steynton village is little more than a northern extension of the substantial port of Milford Haven with its docks and terminals dominating employment in the area. Steynton parish is coastal and most drainage heads into one or other of the two main channels reaching Milford Haven sound either side of the town. Steynton is sited at around 60 metres above the sea and sits on a local summit in gently rolling countryside. Steynton parish was one of the largest by area in Pembrokeshire, covering over 8,000 acres it would have supported a population of almost 3,000 parishioners. In common with most of Wales there is no mention of Steynton in Domesday book which did not cover this area.

The Church

St Peter & St Cewydd's church sits on the eastern side of the A4078 at the point where it crosses the top of the climb up from Milford Haven, a traffic-light controlled junction marks that point and the church is 50 metres or so further north. Whilst the church has 15th century origins, notably the rather skinny tower, much else has been added and rebuilt at later times. The tower together with surviving windows in the base of same and some windows in the chancel are the few relics of this mediaeval church. Aisles were added to the church in 1799 and the whole building extensively restored in the 1880s from which most of the present building dates. The building sits behind a low stone wall and is elevated slightly above the road level, The churchyard is extensive, especially to the east and there are few obstructions to impede photography.