Local History

St Dogmaels chapel empty since 1993 to become home

Published

10 minutes ago

July 21, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS to convert a former Pembrokeshire chapel, empty for more than three decades, to a home have been approved.

In an application submitted to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, Chris Jones and Sarah Lloyd sought permission for a change of use of the former Capel Bryn Salem chapel, Cippyn, St Dogmaels, to a dwelling, along with the installation of private foul water system and associated works.

The 1850-built independent chapel, some 1.5km from Poppit Sands, had fallen into disuse by 1993, but remains in a “generally intact and in a sound condition,” a supporting statement says.

It added: “Based on the fact that the building has been disused for at least 32 years it can be concluded that there is no longer a community need for the facility.”

The statement went on to say: “The building is largely intact, and the proposal mirrors its existing form. The scheme is sympathetic to the character and appearance of the existing building and would include comparatively minor works of re-roofing (maintaining the existing pitch and appearance).”

It finished: “It has been demonstrated that the retention of the building for community or commercial uses would not be viable. The proposed dwelling would contribute to the housing stock and accord with the strategy of the LDP2, to prioritise open market housing over holiday accommodation.

“The proposal would also contribute towards the provision of affordable housing through a commuted sum in line [with adopted policy].

“Furthermore, the proposed scheme is sympathetic to the character and appearance of the building and its setting and results in an appropriate and attractive form of development.”

The application was supported by St Dogmaels Community Council but concerns by members of the public were raised including the suitability of the existing access track and bridleway to serve a residential building and other access and highways issues, as well as impacts on neighbours and the effect of the proposal on the historic character of the former chapel and the surrounding landscape and potential land ownership issues.

An officer report recommending approval said: “During the determination of the application, amended plans and additional supporting information were submitted, including a revised Transport Management Plan, amended access arrangements, additional passing opportunities, ecological information and revised drainage details. These amendments were subject to further consultation.”

It added: “Whilst officers acknowledge the concerns expressed by neighbouring residents, matters relating to private legal rights, ownership of land, easements and other civil matters fall outside the remit of the planning system.”

The application was conditionally approved.

Local History

Pembrokeshire man rode into history with Custer’s Last Stand

Published

3 weeks ago

June 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Dinas Cross-born soldier was among those killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn 150 years ago this week

A YOUNG man from a remote Pembrokeshire farm found himself at the centre of one of the most famous battles in American history after leaving Wales in search of a new life across the Atlantic.

This week marks 150 years since Sgt William Batine James, originally from Pencnwc Farm near Dinas Cross, was killed alongside General George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The battle, fought on June 25 and 26, 1876, became known around the world as “Custer’s Last Stand” after the defeat of the US Army’s 7th Cavalry by a coalition of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors.

Among the dead was a 27-year-old Welshman whose remarkable journey had begun on the north Pembrokeshire coast.

Born on March 3, 1849, James grew up in rural Pembrokeshire before emigrating to North America as a young man. Records show he arrived in Toronto in 1871 before later crossing into the United States and joining the US Army.

He eventually became a sergeant in Company E of the famed 7th Cavalry Regiment.

Just five years after leaving Canada, James found himself riding with Custer into what would become one of the most studied and debated military engagements in American history.

The battle took place in present-day Montana during the Great Sioux War. Custer’s force was overwhelmed after encountering a much larger Native American force than expected.

Every member of Custer’s immediate command was killed.

For many years, James’s family back in Pembrokeshire had little idea what had become of him. Communication across the Atlantic was slow and unreliable, and news often took weeks or months to reach rural communities.

His story only gradually emerged through letters he had sent home, helping relatives piece together the fate of the young man who had travelled thousands of miles from Dinas Cross to the American frontier.

Today, historians of both Welsh emigration and the American West continue to document the lives of those who fought at the Little Bighorn. James remains one of Pembrokeshire’s most unusual historical figures – a local farm boy whose life became entwined with one of the defining moments of the American frontier era.

One hundred and fifty years after his death, Sgt William Batine James remains a reminder of how far Welsh emigrants travelled in the nineteenth century, and how people from even the smallest communities could find themselves caught up in events that would echo through history.