:Dinas Cross

The parish was in the Hundred of Cemais; as Dynas, it appeared on a 1578 parish map of Pembrokeshire.{{cite web|title=Penbrok comitat|publisher=British Library|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927183108/http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/unvbrit/p/001map00000c7c1u00035000.html|access-date=22 July 2024}}

In the early 19th century the parish had 741 inhabitants. At this time the walls of the parish church of St Brynach were washed by the sea at spring high tides.{{cite web|title=GENUKI: Dinas|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Dinas/|access-date=25 September 2016}} The parish extended from Dinas Head on Dinas Island into the Preseli Mountains and included several small settlements to the north and south of the turnpike from Fishguard to Newport,{{cite web|title=GENUKI: Dinas Parish Map No. 24|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Newport/ParishMap|access-date=25 September 2016}} which is now the A487 road.

Dinas Cross has an elected community council.{{cite web|title=Pembrokeshire County Council: Town and Community Councils|url=http://www.pembstcc.co.uk/dinas-cross-community-council|access-date=4 March 2018}} An electoral ward of the same name exists which includes the communities of Dinas Cross, Cwm Gwaun and Puncheston and had a population of 1,696 in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/dinas-cross-w05000951#sthash.KbPUcjtg.dpbs|title=Ward population 2011|access-date=18 April 2015}}

Following the recommendations of a boundary review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales, effective from the 2022 local elections, the Dinas Cross county ward was merged with the neighbouring community of Newport to create a new ward of 'Newport and Dinas', electing one county councillor.{{cite web |title=Review of Community Boundaries in the County of Pembrokeshire. Final Recommendations Report. |url=https://ldbc.gov.wales/sites/ldbc/files/review/Pembs%20Final%20Report%20V7_reduced.pdf |website=Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. |pages=19-20 |access-date=12 June 2022 |date=2021}} The communities of Cwm Gwaun and Puncheston formed, together with Scleddau, a new ward of Bro Gwaun.

Dinas has four pubs: The Country Club, The Ship Aground, The Freemasons Arms and The Old Sailors. At one time there was also a café, a school, Rhoshelyg garden centre, a garage, a petrol station, a full-time post office, one shop and a local blacksmith. Now the old school is a Community hall (Yr Hen Ysgol), the post office is part-time, and one shop, garage, petrol station and a chip shop remain, as well as the local blacksmith, now 5th generation. There are also a few artists based in Dinas Cross: two of them have studio / gallery spaces that are open to the public – namely Coast and Wild on Feidr Fawr, and The David Light Gallery at Myrtle Hill; both are situated on the road to Pwllgwaelod.

The church in Dinas was founded by St Brynach, in the 5th or early 6th century.{{cite book|author=Laws, E.|date=1888|title=The History of Little England beyond Wales and the non-Kymric colony settled in Pembrokeshire|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Dinas/|access-date=26 September 2016}}

Dinas has two chapels: Tabor (a Baptist Chapel) and Gideon (an Independent Chapel). Ramah, a disused Methodist Chapel is on the way to Pwllgwaelod beach.

• Cwm-yr-Eglwys – the church of St Brynach the Abbot, the original parish church of Dinas, perhaps dating back to before the Norman Conquest, is situated on the picturesque beach of Cwm-yr-Eglwys. The chancel of the church was washed away in 1850, and the roof and north wall were destroyed during the Royal Charter Storm in 1859. In 1880,the walls were demolished and the church reduced to the present west end wall only, to allow a defensive seawall to be built. A replacement church was built 1860–61 higher up in the village.
• Dinas Island – A small peninsula, a popular walk and an old farm. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path passes by St. Brynach's church and around Dinas Island.
• Hescwm Mill – an old mill now restored lying 200m inland of Hescwm cove. It is a Grade II* listed building.{{cite web| url =http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-14535-hescwm-mill-felin-hescwm-dinas-cross|title= Hescwm Mill/Felin Hescwm, Dinas Cross|publisher= British Listed Buildings|access-date = 31 December 2013}}
• Brynhenllan Chapel, a Grade II* listed building.{{cite web| url =http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-14942-brynhenllan-chapel-brynhenllan-dinas-cros|title= Brynhenllan Chapel, Brynhenllan, Dinas Cross|publisher= British Listed Buildings|access-date = 31 December 2013}}{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=14942 |desc=Brynhenllan Methodist Chapel |grade=II* |access-date=28 July 2019 }}
• Pencnwc Farm was the birthplace of Sgt. William Batine James who, having emigrated to America in 1871 and joined the US Army in 1872, was the only Welshman to die at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.{{cite news|work=BBC News|date=25 September 2016|title=Letters from William James at Battle of Little Bighorn|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37375705|access-date=25 September 2016}} He was in Company E of the 7th Cavalry.{{cite web|url=http://freepages.folklore.rootsweb.com/~pickensarchive/custer.html|title=Muster Rolls of 7th U.S. Cavalry, June 25, 1876|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050427062829/http://freepages.folklore.rootsweb.com/~pickensarchive/custer.html|access-date=27 July 2019|archive-date=27 April 2005}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Dinas/index.html Further historical information and sources on GENUKI]
• [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=6507252 Photographs of Dinas Cross and surrounding area on Geograph]
• [https://www.coastandwild.co.uk/ Coast & Wild's studio / gallery website]
• [https://www.dalight.co.uk/ David Light's gallery website]

{{Communities of Pembrokeshire}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Villages in Pembrokeshire

Category:Communities in Pembrokeshire

Category:Former electoral wards of Pembrokeshire