Cedros is a freguesia ("civil parish") in the northern part of the municipality of Horta on the island of Faial in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

The tree-covered hills and pasture-lands cover the interior, and hedged farmlands extend to the Atlantic coastline cliffs, a natural plateau above the sea, that was settled by early Flemish and Spanish colonists in the late part of the 15th century.

Abandoned by Huerter, some members of his failed expedition were joined by settlers from Terceira and Spain whom explored and settled along the northern coast of Faial.

The origin of the name Cedros comes from the local cedars (the Cedros-das-Ilhas or Cedros-do-Mato) found in the pasture-lands and forests of the area (Latin: Juniperus brevifolia).

A current myth, perpetuated by older residents, involves the disappearance of the bells which, some say, were mysteriously removed and installed at the Sé Cathedral of Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira.

A legend that dates back to the Philippine dynasty, recalls the time after the fall of Terceira, when the islands of the Azores were occupied by forces of Philip II of Spain.

During the course of the retreat, the Moorish King lost his crown (made of silver and adorned with leaf in sparkling metal), after leaving it along a hedge-row while battling the defenders.

In the end she informed the towns-people, who attempted to extricate the woman from the crown, washing her leg in water and ash soap to loosen it, but without success.

With the passing of time and fearful of damaging such a symbolic and rich object, a copy of the crown was created, and the original was hidden away and guarded.

Praça (village square) is the more urbanized centre of parish, although most places are identified by the smaller neighbourhoods, or localities (Portuguese: lugares), where settlements developed, including Porto de Eira, Cabeço, Cascalho, Covões and Ribeira Funda.

Each of these places have their own distinctions, and some include their own local pubs, community markets (Portuguese: mercearias) or religious sanctuaries (there are four imperios (temples to the Holy Spirit) in Cedros.

José Freitas also developed a small business in Canto da Gatinha, a group of investors started the União dos Lavradores that operated along the regional road, and the União Industrial Cedrenses (locally referred to as "fábrica do Marujo") was also formed in Praça (long after Professor Amaral's operation had ceased).

By 1941 many of these operations had been bought or failed and the remaining businesses, Castro, Merrinho & Xavier and União Industrial, were being squeezed by low milk prices.

It was then that a group of enterprising farmers, under the counsel of Professor José da Rosa Aica, banded together to form what would eventually be known as the cooperative CALF: the Cooperativa Agrícola dos Lactícinios do Faial.

Castro, Merrinho & Xavier was later purchased by a group from Lisbon to form Lacto Açoreana, it lasted briefly, eventually coming under the control of a Horta businessman and failing.

The União Industrial Cedrense was purchased by Martins & Rebello, then the largest milk processor in Portugal, and moved to Cascalho (not too far from the Cooperativo) to occupy the old Castro, Merrinho & Xavier buildings.

"Rural Tourism", highlighted by the Nucleo Etnográfico dos Cedros and several renovated "bed and breakfast"-like cottages, attract visitors to this northern coast village.