The village is famous for the remains of a 12th century Tironian abbey, which was in its day one of the richer monastic institutions in the whole of Wales. It was once a marcher borough. Owen, in 1603, described it as one of five Pembrokeshire boroughs overseen by a portreeve.
In 2006 the village won the Wales Calor Village of the Year competition after beating Trefriw in the final. 
St Dogmaels is twinned with the village of Trédarzec in Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany.
In 2008 the play will be Henry IV – a combined version of Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2. Previous productions include: