| Country: | Wales |
| Static Image: | Parish Church, Meline, view from south - geograph.org.uk - 786563.jpg |
| Static Image Width: | 260px |
| Static Image Caption: | Church of St Dogfael |
| Coordinates: | 52.0162°N -4.7427°W |
| Official Name: | Meline |
| Unitary Wales: | Pembrokeshire |
| Constituency Westminster: | Preseli Pembrokeshire |
| Constituency Welsh Assembly: | Preseli Pembrokeshire |
| Post Town: | Crymych |
| Postcode District: | SA41 |
| Postcode Area: | SA |
| Os Grid Reference: | SN118388 |
Meline (also recorded as Meliney and Melinau) is a parish in the Diocese of St David's in north Pembrokeshire, Wales. There is no settlement of this name.
While there is no settlement called Meline, the name may refer to a mill on one of the rivers that run through the north of the parish, including the Nevern and Brynberian. Meline (as Malenay) appears on a 1578 parish map of Pembrokeshire.[1] The parish was in the ancient Hundred of Cemais and in 1833 was described as including some ancient mansions as well as prehistoric features.[2] In 1835 the parish had a population of 492 of which 30 or 40 attended Sunday School in the summer months.[3] By the 1870s the population had fallen to 414 people, living in 108 houses and fell to below 300 in the mid-20th century.[4] At the turn of the 20th century Meline was sharing a Board School with Whitechurch (Eglwyswen).[5]
The parish, with an area of 4523acres, includes the hamlet of Crosswell, a number of other minor settlements and farms, and extends southwards into the Preseli Mountains.[6] It is mostly within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.[7]
The former parish church, in the northern tip of the parish, is dedicated to St Dogmael (or Dogfael) and is a Grade-II listed building. It was built in 1865, replacing an earlier structure, possibly 13th century, some of which was incorporated into the present church, including the font.[8]
In 2017, the church was vested in the care of Friends of Friendless Churches, a charity that rescues redundant churches across England and Wales.[9]
A carved pew back from the earlier church is preserved at Penbenglog nearby, bearing the inscription (in Latin) "The pew of Matilda, wife of George Perrott, of Penybenglog, gentleman, 1626".[10] Penbenglog is a Grade-II listed house dating from the early 17th century, with earlier origins, and one of the oldest continuously-occupied sites in north Pembrokeshire.[11]
Benjamin Evans (minister) (1740-1821) was born in the parish.[12]