St Edrin's Cross

Trip No.195  Entry No.1  Date Added: 9th Sep 2026
Site Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone Country: Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Visited: Yes on 9th Sep 2026. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: St Edrin's Church, Llanedren, Newton Cross: Up a very long, single track lane which appears to be seldom used. Arriving at the end of the track, which runs up from the farm at Newton Cross, it is very apparent this is now a private residence, which Coflein confirms it has been since 1987. We had hoped to spot the holy well, but this must be well inside the churchyard, but the grass "in the churchyard reputedly had miraculous powers as a cure for mad dogs" was growing lush and green". We didn't trespass in the grounds, but took some quick photographs.

All five of the early medieval carved stones that Coflein records as having been here are now located in Scolton Manor House Museum. I spoke to Kate, the Collections Manager, yesterday morning. She tells me that St Edren's 1 is on display in the library, but lies flat on the floor, not having had a frame to hold it. The others are in store rooms, and inaccessible to visitors.

Llanhowel Church

Trip No.195  Entry No.1  Date Added: 19th Sep 2026
Site Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone Country: Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Visited: Yes on 8th Sep 2026. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: St David's Church, Llanhowel: A lovely little church in a peaceful location. We parked just outside the church and made our way up the path - before the gate was covered in moss, and was really slippery. The church inside is quite small, with the stone immediately to our right hand side against the west wall of the church, somewhat dominated by the adjacent organ against the southern wall of the church.

We were surprised to find such a small country church had a squinch. The church was very dark inside, with no lights that we could find, but photographed this as best we could, trying to imagine what it must have been like for the hermit to be enclosed in such a small space.

Again, the ogam script had been picked out in a pale chalk-like substance making it really stand out. No other stones that we could find, either inside the church, or outside.

Maenclochog Church

Trip No.195  Entry No.2  Date Added: 9th Sep 2026
Site Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone Country: Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Visited: Visited (still working on) on 9th Sep 2026. My rating: Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: St Mary's Church, Maenclochog: Despite the church being in a busy village, and with information boards outside proclaiming the stones were inside the church,, the church was firmly locked and bolted. We tried all the doors, but a wasted journey. Other visitors may wish to contact the vicar or church warden before trying to see these stones.

Tremaenhir Standing Stones

Trip No.195  Entry No.2  Date Added: 19th Sep 2026
Site Type: Standing Stones Country: Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Visited: Yes on 8th Sep 2026. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Tremaenhir Standing Stone: We were driving down the lane near to this stone to reach our next destination. Neither of us remembered coming here before, but as soon as I saw the stone, it was very familiar. We last visited on 22nd August 2014, and not a thing has changed since our last visit, except the cottages on the small lane leading down to the stone were being refurbished, and builders vans lined the side of the lane (and blocked our exit!).

This time, the field gate was firmly closed, and I didn't like to let myself into the field, so contented myself with photographing it from the gate and the fence-line (although there was a small ditch between the fence and the grass verge, hidden by the tall grass and weeds, which I disappeared down and got a very wet sock!

St Aidan's Church (Solva)

Trip No.195  Entry No.3  Date Added: 19th Sep 2026
Site Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone Country: Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Visited: Yes on 8th Sep 2026. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 4

Log Text: St Elvis 1 at St Aiden's Church, Solva. I didn't expect this somewhat 'modern' church to be on a busy main road, and we had to drive up and down the road a couple of times to find somewhere to park, then cross the busy main road where cars and heavy lorries passed by seemed to whizz by. Thankfully, there was a space in the small car park almost opposite the church at SM 79919 24389, with a crossing point adjacent. The church is on the southern side of High Street.

The stone is sited almost at the entrance to the northern porch, within plain sight of the road. I couldn't see any signs of anything inscribed on the stone until we were almost up to it. Glad to have stopped, but after the very rural locations we'd been visiting, his very urban environment came as a bit of a shock. The church itself was locked, so we were unable to visit and pay our respects.

Carreg Coetan Arthur

Trip No.195  Entry No.4  Date Added: 9th Sep 2026
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Visited: Yes on 9th Sep 2026. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Carreg Coetan Arthur, Newport: We walked from the town centre, having avoided being run over by the numerous coaches, tractors and lorries passing by, with me squeezed in as close as possible to the houses sited alongside the very narrow (in some parts non-existent) pavements to avoid being hit) to find this beautiful little spot, bathed in bright, warm afternoon sunshine. Not quite the place I'd thought to find a chambered tomb of this size and importance, tucked at the edge of a small housing estate, within a small, but well tended plot of land. Andrew went back to the car for the camera, after a long, leisurely, and very enjoyable lunch, but got lost by taking the wrong turn out of the village (despite the excellent brown signs to this site!) but finally got to take my photographs. We did have the site all to ourselves, and took our time just to enjoy it.