St Florence: Church, Mill and Parkland

St Florence brings together church and village history, a possible starting point for the Ritec Walk, and parkland on the edge of the village. St Florence Church, the ruins of St Florence Mill and the Flemish chimney represent different historical themes. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in St Florence, you can consider when planning your trip whether architectural history, a walk or the landscape at Manor Wildlife Park is your main interest.

Church and village history

St Florence Church is dedicated to the Norman saint St Florence and dates from the 12th century. It was restored in the 19th century; as a listed building, it is classified Grade II*. The construction date and restoration refer to different periods in its history, while the Grade II* classification indicates its listed status. The church is also used for regular services. Its history therefore encompasses both its architectural past and its present-day religious use.

St Florence Church contains a memorial to Robert Ferrar, the Protestant Bishop of St Davids. Ferrar was burned at the stake in Carmarthen in 1555, during the reign of Mary. The memorial adds the memory of a specific person and a particular historical event to the history of the church building. Architectural history, community life and individual remembrance thus stand alongside one another as distinct aspects.

The Flemish chimney in St Florence is considered the last surviving chimney of its kind in the area and evidence of Flemish settlement. It offers a different perspective on the village’s history from the church: here, evidence of settlement history sits alongside religious and architectural heritage. Together with the history of the mill, it gives a picture that distinguishes between different past uses and historical connections.

Mill and walk

The ruins of St Florence Mill are those of a thatched grain mill powered by a waterwheel. It remained in operation until the mid-19th century. The surviving remains stand where the lower road to Penally crosses the Ritec. This distinguishes the mill’s function from its location: the grain mill describes its former use, while the road crossing the Ritec locates the remains. Unlike the church, the mill tells mainly of a former working operation.

The Ritec Walk can be started in St Florence, but parking is limited. Check local trail conditions before setting out. When planning, you can take into account both the possibility of starting in St Florence and the limited parking before fitting the walk into your day.

Parkland and event

On the edge of St Florence, Manor Wildlife Park is set in 52 acres of natural and scenic parkland in Pembrokeshire. The area figure describes the landscape setting; the location on the edge of the village gives the park its geographical context. This adds a distinct landscape dimension to the architectural and village history. When planning your trip, you can decide whether you are more interested in historic buildings or parkland.

The St Florence Duck Race is one of the events organised by the local school association. If you want to plan your trip around this event, check the date in advance. It is a different planning consideration from the permanent buildings and landscape features described above.

Discover more destinations: Manorbier, Penally, Llangwm, Treffynnon, Haverfordwest, Kilgetty, Camrose, Mynachlog-ddu

For the wider travel overview: Pembrokeshire.