St_Elvis,_Pembrokeshire

St Elvis, Pembrokeshire

St Elvis, Pembrokeshire

Human settlement in Wales

St Elvis (Welsh: Llaneilfyw, [ɬanəilvəu]) is a parish in Pembrokeshire, Wales, about 4 miles (6 km) east of St David's. At 200 acres (81 ha) it is one of the smallest parishes in Wales[1] but its rector was previously the superior of the vicar of the church at Solva[2] (today dependent upon nearby Whitchurch instead).[3] The parish of Whitchurch and St Elvis together form the community of Solva.

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Name

The name is a Latinized form of the Welsh saint Eilfyw, also well known by his Gaelic name Ailbe. Former forms of the name include Llanelvewe and Llanailfyw. According to Rhyddferch's 11th-century Life of Saint David, Elvis baptized Saint David[4] in AD 454 at Porth Clais in Dyfed.[5] (Note, however, that this dating seems unlikely.)[6]

St Elvis farm

History

A 5000-year-old cromlech—including two early British tombs—lies nearby,[7] although they were damaged by a tenant farmer in the 19th century who removed two of the stones.

GENUKI notes church and chapel records dating from the 19th century, with two farms.[8] There is still a St Elvis farm[9] (Vagwr Eilw[7]) and the ruins of the earlier monastery and church, covered with blackthorn.[7] St Elvis's Well is also nearby and continued to produce 360 gallons an hour amid the 1976 drought.[7]

Religious sites

There is a shrine to St Elvis, located at 51°52′12.7″N 5°10′43.2″W.

References

  1. [1]
    "GENUKI: St Elvis". Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  2. [2]
    Breverton, Terry (2009). "Saint Elvis". Wales: A Historical Companion. Stroud: Amberley. p. 164.
  3. [3]
    GENUKI. "Whitchurch (Tre-groes)".
  4. [4]
    Everything2. "Saint Elvis".
  5. [5]
    Breverton, Terry. An A-Z of Wales and the Welsh. Christopher Davies, 2000.
  6. [6]
    The Catholic Encyclopedia. "St Ailbe". Hosted at New Advent.
  7. [7]
    "Saint Elvis" in Terry Breverton's Wales: A Historical Companion, pp. 164 f. Amberley Publishing (Stroud), 2009.
  8. [8]
    Hicks, Gareth (11 November 2007). "St Elvis (Llaneilfyw)". Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  9. [9]
    St Elvis farm Solva Pembroke SA62 (Map). Google maps. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
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