NARBERTH Ladies Probus Club was delighted to welcome Rev’d Adrian Davies to the September meeting to talk about his time at Eglwys Sant Brynach, at Dinas Cross in Pembrokeshire.

The church was dedicated to St Brynach, and originally built in the tiny village of Cwm-yr-Eglwys.

Saint Brynach was originally from Ireland, but is most associated with the village of Nevern. Along with St David’s Cathedral, this is one of the earliest sites in Britain used continuously for Christian worship.

Nevern village church is believed to stand on the site of the saint’s hermitage. St Brynach lived an austere life of fasting and prayer, and allegedly he communed with angels on the summit of nearby Carn Ingli, the ‘Mountain of Angels’.

The Church of St Brynach, Dinas Cross, Pembrokeshire was built in 1860 to replace the medieval church at Cwm yr Eglwys, after it was destroyed by the sea in the great storm of October 25, 1859.

Adrian had many fascinating stories to tell about other renowned people originating from North Pembrokeshire; notably, Bishop Benjamin Vaughan. Because of the initials of his Christian names - BNY - he was fondly known by many as Binny. He was born in Newport, Pembrokeshire.

After his ordination, Bishop BNY Vaughan spent some time as a curate in the St Davids diocese before working abroad in Barbados and British Honduras. He finished his ministry in Wales, elected Bishop of the diocese of Swansea and Brecon. His kinsman, Saunders Davies, was also to become a bishop – two leaders of the Church in Wales from the same small, lightly-populated patch.

Adrian concluded his talk by describing a far less reputable character - Bartholomew Roberts, born John Roberts from Casnewydd Bach, Pembrokeshire. The infamous pirate, nicknamed “Barti Ddu”, took over 470 prize ships from the coasts of America and West Africa during his piracy.

Barti Ddu was an early user of the Skull and Crossbones pirate flag; etching him into folklore and inspiring popular culture centuries after his death. Nevertheless, despite being the undisputed king of swashbuckling pirates, Black Bart was also a brutal murderer who terrorised merchant shipping and plundered millions in gold and jewels. His memorial can be found in his birthplace in Casnewwydd Bach.

Everyone thanked Adrian for his entertaining and informative talk.

Next meeting of Narberth Ladies Probus Club will be on Friday, October 2 at the Plas Hotel, and the speaker is Vicky Tomlinson. New members are aways welcome.