St Elidyr's Church (`Elidyr? being a hypocoristic form of `Teilo?) is situated on a hilltop, some 1km west of an Iron Age defended enclosure, within which is a Roman farmstead (NPRN 304230). The church stands within a triangular churchyard created out of a larger subcircular enclosure measuring c.1.25ha (all of which was glebe land in 1844). The present churchyard appears to overlie a rectangular platform with possible traces of an external ditch. The church was first mentioned in the the LLandaff charters, possibly referring to an earlier foundation. Telio churches were possibly formerly subordinate to Penally. It was granted to Slebech Commandery around 1150. 50 acres of `sanctuary land? (noddfa?) were mentioned in the grant. The church was a parish church during the medieval period belonging to the Deanery of Pembroke. The list of Vicars commences in 1332.

The church is a Grade II* listed building, constructed of limestone rubble. The cruciform building consists of 2-bayed chancel, 4-bayed nave (originally 2-bayed), 2-bayed north chapel, north transeptal 3-storeyed tower, 2-bayed vestry and south porch. There was formerly a south chapel or skew passage. The transept arches are medieval and the tower has some medieval openings. The nave east bays and chancel west bay are thought to date to the 13th century. The south transept is thought to be 14th century. The north tower is thought to be early 16th century in date. It is not typical of the region as it lacks an external string-course and external batter. The north chapel dates to the mid-late 16th century and was originally the private chapel of Amroth Castle. The chancel east bay dates to around 1600. The church was restored in 1851?1855 when the nave's west bays were rebuilt. The church was again restored in 1899 and the vestry was added at that time. The porch was added after 1855 but before 1888. In 1882 the Amroth Castle Chapel was granted to the Church. Its window had not been included in the restoration but has since been rebuilt in Perpendicular style. A wide pointed arch leads from the Chancel into the Amroth Castle Chapel. This has a boarded barrel ceiling with ribs. The late Norman font is square and covered in sculptured foliage. It has a good modern carved cover in late Gothic style.

Sources include:
Cadw, Listed Buildings Database
Dyfed Archaeological Trust, 2000, Historic Churches Project, Pembrokeshire gazetteer
Dyfed Archaeological Trust, 2003, Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Sites Project, Pembrokeshire gazetteer

N Vousden, RCAHMW, 03 November 2017