Ambleston
| |
|---|---|
 | |
  Ambleston Location withinPembrokeshire | |
| Population | 382 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SN000257 |
| Principal area | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HAVERFORDWEST |
| Postcode district | SA62 |
| Post town | CLARBESTON ROAD |
| Postcode district | SA63 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
51°53′41″N4°54′24″W / 51.8948°N 4.9067°W /51.8948; -4.9067  Map of the community | |
Ambleston (Welsh:Treamlod) is a village,parish, andcommunity inPembrokeshire, Wales, lying seven miles (11 km) north-north-east ofHaverfordwest. The parish includes the hamlets of Wallis andWoodstock (Welsh:Wstog).
The English and Welshplacenames both mean "Amlot's farm", Amlot being aNorman-French personal name.[2]
The northern border of the parish is anancient trackway leading towardsSt David's, which crosses through aRoman farmstead called "Castell Fflemish".[3] This line is also the northern boundary of thecantref ofDaugleddau, and was described byGeorge Owen in 1602 as thelanguage frontier, placing Ambleston inLittle England beyond Wales.
Ambleston was one of the parishes Owen described as bilingual, and in modern times it was predominantly Welsh-speaking. The 2011 census showed 34.3 per cent of Ambleston community's population could speakWelsh, a fall from 39.4 per cent in 2001.[4] Historically, the percentage of Welsh speakers was 86 (1891): 79 (1931): 57 (1971).
In 1934, a small part of the parish was transferred to the parish ofSt Dogmells. The pre-1934 parish had an area of 3,850 acres (1,560 ha). Itscensus populations were: 421 (1801): 598 (1851): 386 (1901): 358 (1951): 309 (1981).
The community had a population of 367 in2001 increasing to 382 at the 2011 census.
With the communities ofSpittal andWiston, it makes up the Pembrokeshire electoral ward of Wiston.
A kilometer north of the village is a four-sided low bank enclosing an area some 80m across, at51°54′14″N4°53′53″W / 51.904°N 4.8981°W /51.904; -4.8981 (Castle Flemish), SN007267. The feature had been presumed to relate to Roman military activity, and became known as Castle Flemish, or Castell Ffleming. It also came to be associated with the name 'Ad Vigessimum', a fort described by Richard of Cirencester, but this is now thought spurious.[5] An excavation in 1922 byMortimer Wheeler found Roman brick and flue tiles, along with various Roman ceramics and roof tiles. These indicate a compound including a bathhouse and living area, and is considered to be a late first-century farmstead orvilla. In the nineteenth century there were rumours of a 'golden table' being found here but these remain unsubstantiated.[5] The site is aScheduled ancient monument.
A second ancient monument is also in Ambleston Community. Parc-y-Llyn Burial Chamber is at51°54′04″N4°56′03″W / 51.9012°N 4.9343°W /51.9012; -4.9343 (Parc-y-Llyn Burial Chamber), SM982265. Potentially aNeolithic chambered tomb, this feature has a capstone 2.0 m across resting on four low uprights.[6] It was first noted in 1871 and scheduled in 1938, and a Neolithic origin would date it to 4400 to 2900 BC.[7] However an absence of substantiating finds mean questions have been raised about its authenticity.[8]
A 1578 map in the British Library shows the parish.[9]
There are sevenlisted buildings and other structures in the community.[10]
