PEMBROKE

"PEMBROKE, comprising the parishes of St. Mary and others, it is a market and seaport town, municipal and parliamentary borough, forming a county of itself, but locally in the hundred of Castlemartin, county Pembrokeshire, South Wales, 248 miles W. of London, or 292 by railway. It is a station on the Tenby and Pembroke Dock railway. It was originally the county town, but its commerce and importance have been transferred to Haverfordwest. It derives its name from Penfro peninsula, which extends for two miles N. of the town, between it and the main channel of Milford Haven. It was founded in 1092 by Arnulph de Montgomery, who built the castle on an almost impregnable rock surrounded by water at high tides on three sides. In the reign of Henry I. the fortress came into the hands of Gilbert Strongbow, who rebuilt the greater part of the fortifications, and added new works. In 1648 it was taken after a determined and lengthened resistance by Cromwell through the treachery of one of the garrison. The three Royalist commanders, Colonels Laugharne, Powell, and Poyer, on the surrender of the castle, were condemned to draw lots, one of which was left blank. The fatal lot fell to Colonel Poyer, who was shot by order of Cromwell. The descendants of this gallant, but unfortunate, officer are still living in the county. The castle is now to a great extent in ruins, which are well preserved. They bear in every part evident marks of the siege and battering which they underwent in the Great Rebellion. The keep is still standing entire, of a circular form, about 75 feet high, and 163 feet in circumference at the base, and the walls are 14 feet thick. A dilapidated winding staircase in the thickness of the wall still leads by a perilous ascent to the summit, from whence a varied and extensive prospect is gained over the adjoining country. A small room near the chapel is still pointed out as the chamber where Henry Tudor, afterwards Henry VII., was born. Underneath the keep is a spacious cavern called the Wogan, formerly connected with the interior of the castle by a wooden staircase. It has a large arched exit on the shore of the creek which runs up from the main channel of Milford Haven, by which the garrison used to receive supplies by water. This cave is said to be connected by a subterranean passage with Tenby Castle, 10 miles distant, but no one has hitherto explored it. The town was first chartered by Strongbow, and under the Reform Bill returns one member to the imperial parliament with the contributory boroughs of Milford, Tenby, and Wiston. The population of the municipal borough in 1851 was 10,107, which had increased in 1861 to 15,077, and the number of inhabited houses was 2,144, while the parliamentary borough in 1861 contained 21,773 inhabitants. It is divided under the Municipal Act into two wards, and governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors with the style of "mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the town and borough of Pembroke."-The town stands on very hilly and irregular ground, and is nearly surrounded by two branches of a creek, which run up about 3 miles from Milford Haven. It consists chiefly of one long, narrow, and irregularly-built street, running nearly E. and W., ascending gradually towards the castle at the W. end. It is badly paved, and very insufficiently lighted with gas. The only public building is the townhall, built over the entrance to the market, in which county courts, &c., are held. There is very little trade of any kind, but small vessels laden with anthracite coal can come up at spring tides to a small quay below the castle on the N. side. The living is a vicarage'* in the diocese of St. David's, value £500. There are three churches, dedicated to SS. Michael, Mary, and Nicholas. St. Michael's, situated in the E. end of the town, an ancient building in the Norman style, of a cruciform shape, with a tower, has lately been rebuilt, with the exception of the tower, in a very inferior style. St. Mary's, in the centre of the town, is of the pointed order, with a large square tower. St. Nicholas, at the W. end, was given in 1098 by Arnulph de Montgomery to St. Martin's Abbey at Sayes in Normandy, and thus became the priory church of Monkton Priory. It was originally of great extent, formed of an admixture of the Saxon and Pointed orders. The nave has a vaulted stone roof. The pointed arch which formerly led to the chancel now forms the back of the altar. The chancel is in a very dilapidated state, without a roof, and desecrated by being used as a fives court by the inhabitants of Monkton. There are remains of five large stone windows, a canopied recess, and two sedilia. Parallel to this, on the N. side, is a building of similar dimensions, also in ruins. The prior's mansion, a little to the W. of the church, now converted into a farmhouse, is ascended by stone steps, at the foot of which are remains of very singular pillars. Two chapels were appended to this priory, that dedicated to Deiniol has a tower; the other, named Crag-Mahaern, is in ruins. There are National and Sunday schools, and a new British school. There are places of worship for Wesleyans and New Connexion Methodists, Independents and Baptists. Pembroke gives title of earl to the Herbert family. Saturday is market day. Fairs are held on the 12th April, 4th May, Trinity Monday, 10th July, 10th October, and 30th November."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018