Moylegrove

Moylegrove is a small unspoilt village where time has almost stood still. With a population af just a few hundred, it lies just a few miles North of Newport and South of St Dogmaels and Poppit Sands.

Moylegrove lies within the Pembrokeshire National Park, gaining a degree of protection from development, so remaining largely unchanged from decade to decade. Moylegrove consists mostly of traditional colour washed cottages and houses and boasts two chapels and the church of St Andrews - all with regular services. In the adjacent hamlet of Monnington the church is now used only very occasionally. Moylgrove village no longer boasts a pub, though there were a total of nine pubs in the village around the turn of the century.

The name of Moylegrove, is said to date back to 1291, possibly originating from an early reference to Moylegrove Church as "Ecclesia de Grans Matildis" - �The Church of Matildas Grove". Matilda was married to Robert Fitzmartin and gave part of her dowry to St Dogmaels abbey. Moylegrove's name has evolved over the years becoming "Moldegrove" and later, during the reign of Henry 8th, "Moilegrove" - eventually evolving into the current "Moylegrove".

From Moylegrove, there are several lanes leading to Ceibwr Bay, which was once a well known smugglers cove. Ceibwr Bay is sheltered by rugged and dramatic cliffs. During the spring and summer the cliff tops turn pink, with the thrift that grows profusely covering the cliff faces almost to the waters edge.

"The area around Ceibwr is lonely and wild, probably more so than on any other stretch of the Pembrokeshire coast" (BBC Wales). This truly is a dramatic stretch of coastline the "Witches Cauldron" (Pwll-y-Wrach) is well known, it is a where a natural rock bowl has formed and the "Cauldron" is fed by the tide racing through an underground passage. The sides of the "Witches Cauldron" are almost sheer making this a fantastic sight - well worth a visit. For those who enjoy sea-fishing, it is a good spot for Bass, Mackerel and Pollack.

During the early 1980's Moylegrove hit the headlines, with its most publicised smuggling activity ever, which the Police called "Operation Seal Bay". A small almost inaccessible beach along the coast between Moylegrove and Newport was being used by an international drugs smuggling ring. A false underground cave had been constructed and was being used for the concealment of drugs which were shipped in by sea and later moved and distributed at the smuggler's convenience.

There are a number of Iron Age forts in the area - Castell Treriffith overlooks Ceibwr Bay and was given to the National Trust by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas. Llech y Dribedd is a pre-historic tomb on the footpath between Moylegrove and Nevern.

Within the Moylegrove area, farming is still considered the main industry. There are also quite a diverse range of small businesses in the locality. The village is proud of its connections with the local bus company, which started in the village and still emblazons the name �Richard's Buses of Moylegrove� on all its fleet.

Tourism also play a large and vital role in the economy of the area and our own offices at �Coast and Country Holidays� are based within the parish of Moylegrove. We employ 12 local people who continually promote the area to holidaymakers from all over the world. If you want more information, just phone - our office is open daily.

In the Moylegrove area, you can find a Blueberry Angoras, an upholsterer, a wood turner and numerous other small cottage industries. There is a four acre garden open to the public at Glanawen

The local Moylegrove Web Site lists a number of interesting walks