St Florence, also known as Sain Fflwrens in Welsh, is a delightful village, parish, and community nestled in the picturesque county of Pembrokeshire, just 3 miles inland from Tenby.

St Florence has earned its reputation as a village of immense charm. It was even a past winner of the coveted Wales in Bloom trophy. As you wander through its streets, you’ll encounter many pretty cottages, each with its own unique character. Keep an eye out for a well-known architectural feature—the Flemish chimney—which happens to be the last surviving example of its kind in the area.

The village boasts an intriguing 13th-century church, adding to its historical allure. This ancient place of worship holds stories and memories that span centuries.

After the Norman annexation of south Pembrokeshire in the 12th century, Flemish settlers were brought in. Their lands had been inundated by the sea, and they were intended to act as a buffer between the Welsh people in north Pembrokeshire and the Normans in the south. Evidence of Flemish settlement still exists in the form of that unique Flemish chimney on one of the older buildings.

In the village is Grandiflora Garden Centre. It is Wales’s only specialist semi-mature plant centre, and they have thousands of containerised British native trees and shrubs, palms, bamboo, Mediterranean, coastal, jungle and unusual plants.

So, whether you’re drawn to its history, natural beauty, or vibrant attractions, St Florence invites you to explore its hidden gems and immerse yourself in its timeless charm.

Attractions

On the edge of the village are three of Pembrokeshire’s biggest attractions, Manor House Wildlife Park, Heatherton World of Activities and The Dinosaur Park. Also new in 2023 the Great Wedlock Farm and Deer Park.

Manor House Wildlife Park has 35 acres of parkland to walk through, there is plenty to see with reindeer, tapir, bison, zebra, camels, monkeys, meerkats and raccoons. There are play areas for children to run around. It was bought by TV Changing Rooms presenter Anna Ryder Richardson in 2008. Her and her team have worked hard to change it into an “uncaged” wildlife attraction where traditional pens are replaced with walk-through areas.

Heatherton World of Activities offers an enormous range of activities including archery, bumper boats, baseball, Go-Karts, a Pitch & Putt golf course, horse-riding, laser clay pigeon shooting, paintball, A Pirates of the Caribbean fun golf course, pistol shooting, Robot Wars, indoor bowls, a play area and a maize maze in the summer.

The Dinosaur Park is a dinosaur themed park with 30 dinosaurs to spot on a mile-long trail with many indoor and outdoor attractions including activity centre and events programme such as fossil hunting, puppet shows, pat-a-pet etc. There’s an adventure playground with golf, trampolines, astra slide, bubble ride, disco boats, off-roaders, tractors and Dino’s Play Den for younger children. There is also a dinosaur-themed restaurant, a sun terrace café and snack bar too.

Great Wedlock Farm and Deer Park comprises of 150 acres of grassland, gorseland and woodland dedicated to our deer whilst a further 26 acres is kept as a nature reserve around the river Ritec. These diverse habitats are an ideal environment for the local wildlife and all of our animals to thrive. You can experience the park by walking, safari buggy, VIP tour or for disabled guests an easy-access wheelchair trailer, there is also a deer barn and cinema barn for everyone’s enjoyment.

For the more adventurous adrenaline junkie is Ritec Valley Quadbikes situated in Penally just outside Tenby. Set in 100 acres of glorious Pembrokeshire countryside, they offer track and trail riding for all ages from 6+ (min age for trail ride is 11). They use Kymco, Suzuki and Yamaha quads and all bikes are fully automatic.

Also in Penally is Trefloyne Manor Golf Course with views of the historic town of Tenby, Carmarthen Bay and the Ritec Valley, the Manor’s golf course is unrivalled in West Wales. Alongside the golf course Trefloyne Manor has an awarding winning restaurant, accommodation and the Dovecote Naturally spa.

Nearby is Carew Castle and Tidal Mill. Carew Castle was built by the Normans on the site of a Celtic fort in the 12th Century.

Food and Drink

The Parsonage Farm Inn in St Florence is a grade II listed Georgian property which until the early 1930’s was the ‘Glebe Farm’ of this ancient Norman community and farmed by the Rector of St Florence. The pub has large well planted gardens and serves meals in the evening during the winter and at lunchtime and in the evening during the summer.

The Sun Inn in the centre of the village has a good eat-in or takeaway menu with many pub favourites including some vegetarian and children’s options.

Bramley’s Tea Rooms is at the Grandiflora Garden Centre. This award-winning tearoom within the garden centre specialises in home cooking using local produce whenever possible. Morning coffee, light meals, lunches and afternoon tea are served daily. Traditional three course lunch served on Sundays.

Walks and wanders around St Florence

The Carew Castle circular walk is about a mile long, but the location makes this such a pleasant walk. Carew Castle is set on a tidal estuary overlooking a huge Millpond which provides an impressive setting for the Castle. The circular walk takes you around the castle (as well as the tidal mill), if you’re looking for a short but hugely photogenic walk in Pembrokeshire, this could be the one for you.

Where to stay

Puffin Cottage Holidays have two lovely cottages available in this area, The Coach House and Cartwright’s Cottage. These cottages are set within the village but we have others close by in Penally and Tenby.

About us

Based in South Pembrokeshire, Puffin Cottage Holidays are a family run business, with a wealth of knowledge on the area and the local attractions and have been successfully letting holiday accommodation for over 15 years.

We aim to provide our customers with excellent service before, during and after your holiday, making your break away from home as enjoyable, relaxing and hassle free as possible. We understand that you may lead a busy life which is why we make ourselves available out of hours and on weekends, so that we can help you find your perfect holiday at a time convenient to you and if there is anything we can do to make your holiday more special just let us know.

Remember we specialise in all sorts of properties whether you are looking for Sea Views, Pet Friendly, Character, Rural, Hot Tubs, Lodges, Apartments, Cottages, Pods and keep close to our website for the best late deals.

We are in the process of building up our portfolio of properties, so if you have a property that you would like to let with us, please take a look at our Property owners page and contact us for more details. Our current properties are predominantly based in Tenby, Saundersfoot, Penally and surrounding areas therefore access to Pembrokeshire’s award winning beaches is never too far away!