Gumfreston
Parish
History
The parish appears on a 1578 parish map of Pembrokeshire. There are a few houses in the village, but no other significant settlements in the mainly rural parish from a pre-1850 map. In 1833 the parish was reported as having 103 inhabitants. Coal was worked on a small scale for local use. The village is recorded as a historic place name by the Royal Commission in the early 20th century. There are three named farms on modern maps: Daisy Back Farm, Glebe Farm and Gumfreston Farm, and a farm complex named North Astridge and South Astridge.
Feudal title
The ancient feudal title of the Manor of Wedlock, or Wydeloc, resides in the parish but is not associated with a manor house or land. The title was sold at auction in Cardiff in December 2016 for £2,000.
Church
The small church St Lawrence's, with its tall tower, is mediaeval. The church is significant for the historic architecture, for a medieval wall painting, and for the three nearby springs reputed to be ancient healing wells that attract visitors from many countries.
Notable people
- William Wogan (1678–1758), born in Gumfreston, an Irish religious writer, sympathetic with early Methodism.
References
- ^ "GENUKI: Gumfreston". Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ "Penbrok comitat". British Library. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "GENUKI Parish map 136". Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "Royal Commission: Gumfreston". Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "Ordnance Survey". Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "A would-be nobleman has bought the title of Lord Wedlock for £2,000 at auction". Wales online. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ "St Lawrence, Gumfreston". churchheritagecymru.org.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "St Lawrence Church, Gumfreston". www.narberthtenbylma.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ Thomas, Daniel Lleufer (1900). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 62. pp. 288–289.