Dinas Cross
| Dinas Cross | |
| Welsh: Dinas | |
 Dinas Old Church at Cwm-yr-Eglwys, prior to 1830 |
|
  Dinas Cross |
|
| Population | 815 (2011)[1] |
|---|---|
| Community | Dinas Cross |
| Principal area | Pembrokeshire |
| Ceremonial county | Dyfed |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Newport |
| Postcode district | SA42 |
| Dialling code | 01348 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Preseli Pembrokeshire |
| Welsh Assembly | Preseli Pembrokeshire |
|
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Coordinates: 52°00′39″N 4°54′35″W / 52.010878°N 4.909777°W
Dinas Cross (Welsh: Dinas) is a parish, village and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated between Fishguard and Newport in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and is a popular holiday destination on the A487. The village has its own elected community council and gives its name to an electoral ward of Pembrokeshire County Council. The electoral ward of Dinas Cross covers the communities of Dinas Cross, Cwm Gwaun and Puncheston.
History
Formerly known just as Dinas, the parish was in the Hundred of Cemais and in the early 19th century had 741 inhabitants. At this time the walls of the parish church of St Brynach were washed by the sea at spring high tides.[2] The parish extended from Dinas Head on Dinas Island into the Preseli Mountains and included several small settlements to the north and south of the turnpike from Fishguard to Newport,[3] which is now the A487 road.
Governance
An electoral ward of the same name exists. This stretches south from Dinas Cross with a total population of 1,696.[4]
Amenities
Dinas has four pubs: The Country Club, The Ship Aground, The Freemasons Arms and The Old Sailors. At one time there was also a cafe, a school, Rhoshelyg garden centre, a garage, a petrol station, a full-time post office, two shops and a local blacksmith. Now the old school is a Community hall (Yr Hen Ysgol), the post office is part-time, and two shops, garage, petrol station and a chip shop remain, as well as the local blacksmith, now 5th generation.
Worship
The church in Dinas was founded by the Irishman Brynach, now St Brynach, in the 5th or early 6th century.[5]
As well as the parish church dedicated to St Brynach (see below), Dinas has two chapels which are in use: Tabor (a Baptist Chapel) and Gideon (an Independent Chapel). Ramah, an old, disused and neglected Methodist Chapel is on the way to Pwllgwaelod beach.
Places of interest
- Cwm-yr-Eglwys – the church of St Brynach the Abbot, the original parish church of Dinas, perhaps dating back to before the Norman Conquest, is situated on the picturesque beach of Cwmyreglwys. The chancel of the church was washed away in 1850, and the roof and north wall were destroyed during the Royal Charter Storm in 1859. In 1880,the walls were demolished and the church reduced to the present west end wall only, to allow a defensive seawall to be built. A replacement church was built 1860–61 higher up in the village.
- Dinas Island – A small peninsula, a popular walk and an old farm. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path passes by St. Brynach's church and around Dinas Island.
- Hescwm Mill – an old mill now restored lying 200m inland of Hescwm cove. It is a Grade II* listed building.[6]
- Brynhenllan Chapel, a Grade II* listed building.[7]
- Pencnwc Farm was the birthplace of Sgt. William Batine James who, having emigrated to America in 1871 and joined the US Army in 1872, was the only Welshman to die at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.[8]
References
- ↑ "Community population 2011". Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ↑ "GENUKI: Dinas". Retrieved 25 September 2016.
- ↑ "GENUKI: Dinas Parish Map No. 24". Retrieved 25 September 2016.
- ↑ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ↑ Laws, E. (1888). The History of Little England beyond Wales and the non-Kymric colony settled in Pembrokeshire. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ↑ "Hescwm Mill/Felin Hescwm, Dinas Cross". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
- ↑ "Brynhenllan Chapel, Brynhenllan, Dinas Cross". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
- ↑ "Letters from William James at Battle of Little Bighorn". BBC News. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
