Lawrenny is a village and
parish in the
community and
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
of
Martletwy
Martletwy is a village, parish and community in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Description
Martletwy lies in south of the county, the nearest town is Narberth some 7 miles distant to its north and east. It lies mainly to the west of the A ...
in the county of
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...
, Wales. It is on a peninsula of the
River Cleddau estuary upriver from
Milford Haven
Milford Haven ( cy, Aberdaugleddau, meaning "mouth of the two Rivers Cleddau") is both a town and a community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, an estuary forming a natural harbour that has ...
where it branches off towards the Cresswell and Carew Rivers and is in the
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Description
The village extends down to the Estuary to Lawrenny Quay half a mile from the centre, where there is a busy yacht station and caravan park. It provides most of the central rural facilities for the Martletwy ward, including a shop, mobile post office, cricket and football clubs, village hall and church. The community owns and operates the Millennium Youth Hostel and the village shop.
The ''Lawrenny Arms'' and the Quayside Tearooms have recently become popular destinations in the area for both boaters and walkers.
The village has its own community-run broadband service which provides Internet access across the village as well as to communities on the other side of the Cleddau Estuary.
The community village shop operates what is possibly a world first: an automated service that allows members to access 24 hours to buy essentials. The system was featured on ITV Wales news in 2016.
The village was featured in series 3 of ''Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages'' which aired on the
Channel 4 in 2016.
In summer, the river is full of boats, where activities include dinghy sailing and water-skiing. It has been the host port for Seafair Haven, a biennial festival of the sea on the Milford Haven waterway, in 2014 and 2016.
History
Lawrenny developed around fishing, boat building and as a staging point for quarried limestone extracted from quarries upriver. In the 1830s there were 422 inhabitants and there was a ferry over the Cresswell River.
Racing stables in the village provided Wales' first and only Grand National winner, Kirkland, at Aintree in 1905.
Lawrenny played a role in the
World War II as a base for
Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Woolston, Southampton.
The Walrus f ...
seaplanes and a training centre, known as HMS Daedalus II, operated by the
Fleet Air Arm.
Lawrenny was voted best village in Wales in 2007 (a competition run by Calor).
Church
The parish church of
Saint Caradoc
Caradoc or Caradog was a Welsh hermit and harpist.
Life
Caradoc was a Welsh nobleman, native of Brecknockshire, who, after he had received a liberal education, enjoyed the confidence of Rees, prince of South Wales, and held an honourable place ...
is a grade II*
listed building founded in the 12th century and altered considerably since, principally in the 19th century. The tower was added in the 15th century.
References
External links
Lawrenny village website
{{authority control
Villages in Pembrokeshire
Martletwy