St Mary

It has medieval origins, but the church was thoroughly restored in 1880-1. According to a newspaper account, it was roofed in Rosebush slate over a nave roof of teak and chancel roof of oak, a vestry was added and the windows were replaced in Bath stone. The font and part of the pulpit were kept from the previous church. 

A photograph of c1906 shows the tower barely higher than the ridge of the nave, with a crude triangular opening on the south. But it had been raised to present height by the 1920s. 

The church contains two important 5th to 6th century inscribed stones, brought from Llandeilo Lwydiarth churchyard nearby. They appear to relate to two brothers Andagellus and Coimagnus, a third stone, probably from the same site, was moved from Bwlchyclawdd (Temple Druid) to Cenarth before 1743 is to a son of Andagellus. A most unusual group of stones to one family.

The village is on the Preseli Hills Trail, a scenic route along the foothills of the Preseli Mountains where prehistoric remains abound including standing stones, a stone circle and sites of ancient battles. Close by are rugged outcrops of Carn Menyn, source of the famous ‘bluestones’ which form the inner circle at Stonehenge. Resonance is a particular acoustic phenomenon of some Preseli rocks. They have the rare property of being ‘musical’ and can ring like a bell or gong when struck with a small hammer stone. This gave the village its name, Maenclochog or ‘ringing stone’ in English.