RESEARCH into the history of a lost Pembrokeshire parish has uncovered many secrets about this hidden corner of the county.

Lambston parish was once an independent community to the west of Haverfordwest, but today its villages are counted as part of Camrose parish after they were combined in 1987.

Charles Mathieson has led an effort by the local residents association to find out more about Sutton, the village at the centre of the former parish, as well as Lambston village and other settlements in the area.

“When it comes to the history of Pembrokeshire an awful lot of people are interested in the coast, and the Preselis, and the estuary, but there are a lot of small, rural communities in between these places that no-one knows a great deal about,” said Mr Mathieson.

“I wanted to research Sutton and Lambston Parish in general to give a picture of what life has been like here throughout history.”

The resident’ association now plans to hold an exhibition into the history of Lambston parish at the start of September.

The search has produced a bounty of historical documents, including old tithe maps describing what local farmers were growing and keeping in the late 18th century, photographs of life in the village throughout the early 20th century, and old land deeds dug out from one of the village farmer’s cupboards.

Mr Mathieson, who worked for the national park before his retirement, is able to point out hidden relics throughout Sutton which are clues to how people live there in the past.

“Outside someone’s house in the middle of the village is the former local water pump. People would say the water from Portfield Gate tasted much better!” he said.

Another of the area’s gems is a Quaker Burial Ground, thought to have been built in 1661.

This burial area is largely unmarked by gravestones and sits within a walled enclosure at the end of a long wooden avenue.

“The Quakers were only set up in 1620 in Durham, so it’s amazing they made it this fair in only 40 years,” said Mr Mathieson.

“They were harshly persecuted wherever they went, so they probably built their burial ground out here away from Haverfordwest.”

Sutton made the news earlier this year when the resident’s association succeeded in proclaiming a new village green.

An exhibition on the history of Lambston parish will be at Bethel Chapel Hall, Sutton, SA62 3LP between September 5 and 8.