130-653: River Syfynwy (Welsh: Afon Syfynwy , Syfnwy or Syfni ) is a river entirely within Pembrokeshire , Wales , rising in the Preseli Hills , feeding the Rosebush and Llys y Fran reservoirs and joining the Eastern Cleddau to the south. It is a river considered to be important as an ecological indicator and part is in a site of special scientific interest . The river is formed by the confluence of several streams rising in
260-519: A community in Pembrokeshire , Wales. It is on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway , an estuary forming a natural harbour that has been used as a port since the Middle Ages . The town was founded in 1790 by Sir William Hamilton , who designed a grid street pattern. He intended it to be a whaling centre, but by 1800 it was developing as a Royal Navy dockyard which it remained until
390-401: A 'storage and distribution facility' with a loss of over 300 jobs. Source: Bluestone Wales, Milford Fish Docks, National Statistics Sea Fisheries Annual Reports and McKay. Post-war Milford Haven was not considered a promising location for tourism. A 1964 study commissioned by the district council highlighted the lack of nearby beaches, proximity of the town to heavy industrialization, and
520-710: A flourishing wool industry . There are still working woollen mills at Solva and Tregwynt . One of the last few watermills in Wales producing flour is in St Dogmaels . Pembrokeshire has good soil and benefits from the Gulf Stream , which provides a mild climate and a longer growing season than other parts of Wales. Pembrokeshire's mild climate means that crops such as its new potatoes (which have protected geographical status under European law) often arrive in British shops earlier in
650-674: A frigate and later a 74-gun ship-of-the-line. However, due to a combined lack of local standing oak, access to supplies of timber from the Baltic, and local skills in volume, the Jacob operation soon went bankrupt. In 1800, following the bankruptcy of the Jacobs & Sons, the Navy Board's overseer, Jean-Louis Barralier, was persuaded to lease the site for the Navy Board and develop a dockyard for building warships. Seven royal vessels were eventually launched from
780-551: A great deal of loss and degradation of local mudflat habitat as a result of industrial and commercial development – one study indicated a 45 per cent loss in Hubberston Pill. The town has an historic late 18th and 19th centuries core based, on a grid street pattern, between Hubberston Pill and Castle Pill, and extending inland for 500 metres (1,600 ft). Milford Haven's 20th century expansion absorbed several other settlements. Hakin and Hubberston are older, and situated to
910-589: A merger of its editorial team with that of the Western Telegraph , its local office was closed in 2008. A second newspaper, The Pembrokeshire Herald, covers the Milford Haven and surrounding areas. The town is also home to several charities, including PATCH and Gwalia . Milford Haven is twinned with Romilly-sur-Seine , France, and Uman , Ukraine . Milford Haven appears in literary works, including Shakespeare's Cymbeline as "blessed Milford", and
1040-527: A number of venues for sport and leisure. Milford Haven Leisure Centre offers various facilities, including a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, squash and tennis courts, a bowls hall and a dance studio. Thornton Hall, at Milford Haven School, has an indoor sports hall and artificial turf pitch. There are rugby union and association football clubs. Nautical activities are centered around the marina and Pembrokeshire Yacht Club in Gelliswick, which dates to 1923. There
1170-561: A parish called Hakin . Milford and Hakin were urban parishes and so did not have parish councils of their own; the lowest level representative body was the Milford Haven Urban District Council. The urban district council built the Town Hall on Hamilton Terrace in 1939 to serve as its headquarters. Milford Haven Urban District was abolished in 1974, becoming part of Preseli (renamed Preseli Pembrokeshire in 1987) within
1300-504: A petition was presented to the House of Commons concerning the poor state of many of the county's roads, pointing out that repairs could not be made compulsory by the law as it stood. The petition was referred to committee. People applying for poor relief were often put to work mending roads. Workhouses were poorly documented. Under the Poor Laws , costs and provisions were kept to a minimum, but
1430-471: A religious census of Pembrokeshire showed that of 70 per cent of the population, 53 per cent were nonconformists and 17 per cent Church of England (now Church in Wales , in the Diocese of St Davids ). The 2001 census for Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency showed that 74 per cent were Christian and 25 per cent of no religion (or not stated), with other religions totalling less than 1 per cent. This approximated to
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#17330853349541560-547: A rôle in preparations for D Day . Despite its strategic importance as the home of a large fish market, a mines depot, a flax factory, and housing numerous military personnel, Milford escaped serious damage by German bombing in the Second World War. In the summer of 1941 a bomb fell in fields near Priory Road, and later that year, a bomb damaged a house in Brooke Avenue. In neither instance were there casualties. In 1960,
1690-470: A shortage of tourist facilities such as restaurants and hotels. However, in the 1980s, a series of steps to beautify certain parts of the town commenced. The outdoor swimming pool, which had remained disused for some years, was transformed into a water-garden and officially opened in 1990 by Margaret Thatcher . In 1991, the Tall Ships Race started from Milford, and this coincided with an overhaul of
1820-696: A third of the county. The park contains the Pembrokeshire Coast Path , a near-continuous 186-mile (299 km) long-distance trail from Amroth , by the Carmarthenshire border in the southeast, to St Dogmaels just down the River Teifi estuary from Cardigan, Ceredigion , in the north. The National Trust owns 60 miles (97 km) of Pembrokeshire's coast. Nowhere in the county is more than 10 miles (16 km) from tidal water. The large estuary and natural harbour of Milford Haven cuts deep into
1950-422: A transformation of the docks area into a residential and commercial destination, including hotel accommodation. In 2017 Milford Haven Port Authority launched Milford Waterway , which included a re-branding of the marina and aims to encourage hotel, commercial and leisure developments to the area. In November 2014 it was announced that Milford Haven Refinery , a major employer in the area, would be converted into
2080-457: A vision of connecting London to New York via a railway through Wales and then to a commuter port. The initial plan was to terminate the line at Fishguard and to create a ferry service to Ireland, but after a failure to complete Irish rail links the terminus was changed to New Milford, (Neyland) , which was completed in April 1856. The first rail link direct to Milford Haven was completed in 1863, which
2210-646: A whole. There was considerable military activity in Pembrokeshire and offshore in the 20th century: a naval base at Milford Haven because German U-boats were active off the coast in World War I and, in World War II , military exercises in the Preseli Mountains and a number of military airfields. The wartime increase in air activity saw a number of aircraft accidents and fatalities, often due to unfamiliarity with
2340-468: A wide stretch of high moorland supporting sheep farming and some forestry, with many prehistoric sites and the probable source of the bluestones used in the construction of the inner circle of Stonehenge in England. The highest point is Foel Cwmcerwyn at 1,759 feet (536 m), which is also the highest point in Pembrokeshire. Elsewhere in the county most of the land (86 per cent according to CORINE )
2470-483: A wider study of the Eastern Cleddau catchment area. They found fewer numbers than usual, but that most sensitive species were present. A pollution incident in 1999 where trade effluent was discharged into the river causing the death of an estimated 1,000 brown trout resulted in a fine of £2,500 and £13,021 costs when the case went to court the following year. During the war the railway at Glan Syfynwy, near Rosebush,
2600-505: A year. This is comparable to much of Southern England. The nearest official Met Office weather station is at Milford Haven Conservancy Board. There are two tiers of local government covering Milford Haven, at community (town) and county level: Milford Haven Town Council and Pembrokeshire County Council . Milford Haven Town Council is based at Cemetery Lodge on Thornton Road, Milford Haven. The community of Milford Haven covers an area of 1,573 hectares (6.07 sq mi) and includes
2730-549: Is 24 miles (39 km) long, of which only 2 miles (3.2 km) are dual carriageway. The Cleddau Bridge , toll-free from 28 March 2019, carries the A477 across the Cleddau Estuary . The A478 traverses eastern Pembrokeshire from Tenby in the south to Cardigan, Ceredigion in the north, a distance of 30 miles (48 km). The A487 is the other major route, running northwest from Haverfordwest to St Davids, then northeast following
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#17330853349542860-533: Is Milford's sole industry ... the population of the town has doubled by means of it". In 1863, the railway network came to Milford, linking it to the Haverfordwest line and beyond. In 1866, work was completed on an additional extension which provided access to the docks and ship-breaking yard on the eastern side of the town. Between 1875 and 1886, Great Eastern was a permanent fixture at Milford Docks, remaining there for lengthy repairs. Her arrival into
2990-547: Is a city, the smallest by population in the UK. Welsh is spoken by 17.2 percent of the population, and for historic reasons is more widely spoken in the north of the county than in the south. Pembrokeshire's coast is its most dramatic geographic feature, created by the complex geology of the area. It is a varied landscape which includes high sea cliffs, wide sandy beaches, the large natural harbour of Milford Haven, and several offshore islands which are home to seabird colonies. Most of it
3120-459: Is held biannually in June. Milford Haven library, recently relocated to Havens Head Retail Park offers a full lending service and internet access. Milford Haven Museum , in the marina, houses a collection which focusses on the maritime history of the town. The Milford & West Wales Mercury weekly newspaper covered the Milford Haven and West Pembrokeshire area. It was founded in 1992 and following
3250-608: Is in Hakin. Construction of the building was abandoned in 1809. Milford Haven Museum , is sited centrally in the docks area, in the town's oldest building, the Custom House, which was built in 1797. Designed by Swansea architect, Jernigan, it was built to store whale oil awaiting shipment for sale in London. The Rath is a landscaped street on high ground, with panoramic views of the Haven. The land
3380-507: Is not clear whether these belonged to Romans or to a Romanised population. Welsh tradition has it that Magnus Maximus founded Haverfordwest, and took a large force of local men on campaign in Gaul in 383 which, together with the reduction of Roman forces in south Wales, left a defensive vacuum which was filled by incomers from Ireland. Between 350 and 400, an Irish tribe known as the Déisi settled in
3510-617: Is one of only three repertory theatres in Wales, and possesses its own independent theatre company. The Pill Social Centre, operating since the 1950s, is a community hall and events venue, having hosted The Who and Gerry and the Pacemakers . Annual events in the town include the Milford Haven Music Festival in May, Founders Week in June and the carnival in July. Pembrokeshire Fish Week
3640-428: Is part of a larger, 100-year Atlantic rainforest recovery programme. Human habitation of the region that is now Pembrokeshire extends back to between 125,000 and 70,000 years and there are numerous prehistoric sites such as Pentre Ifan , and neolithic remains (12,000 to 6,500 years ago), more of which were revealed in an aerial survey during the 2018 heatwave; in the same year, a 1st-century Celtic chariot burial
3770-713: Is part of the Preseli Pembrokeshire Senedd constituency and UK Parliamentary constituency . The local Member of the Senedd is Paul Davies of the Conservative Party and the local Member of Parliament is Henry Tufnell from the Labour Party . When development of the modern town began in the 1790s the area straddled the parishes of Steynton and Hubberston . In 1857 the Milford Improvement Act
3900-517: Is protected by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park , and can be hiked on the 190-mile (310 km) Pembrokeshire Coast Path . The interior of Pembrokeshire is relatively flat and gently undulating, with the exception of the Preseli Mountains in the north. There are many prehistoric sites in Pembrokeshire, particularly in the Preseli Mountains. During the Middle Ages several castles were built by
4030-727: Is served by rail via the West Wales Lines from Swansea . Direct trains from Milford Haven run to Manchester Piccadilly . Branch lines terminate at Pembroke Dock , Milford Haven and Fishguard , linking with ferries to Ireland from Pembroke Dock and Fishguard. Seasonal ferry services operate from Tenby to Caldey Island, from St Justinians (St Davids) to Ramsey Island and Grassholm Island, and from Martin's Haven to Skomer Island. Haverfordwest (Withybush) Airport provides general aviation services. Pembrokeshire's economy now relies heavily on tourism; agriculture, once its most important industry with associated activities such as milling,
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4160-608: Is served by the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Dyfed-Powys Police . There are no motorways in Pembrokeshire; the nearest is the M4 motorway from London which terminates at the Pont Abraham services in Carmarthenshire some 46 miles (74 km) from Haverfordwest. The A40 crosses Pembrokeshire from the border with Carmarthenshire westwards to Haverfordwest, then northwards to Fishguard. The A477 from St. Clears to Pembroke Dock
4290-432: Is still significant. Mining of slate and coal had largely ceased by the 20th century. Since the 1950s, petrochemical and liquid natural gas industries have developed along the Milford Haven Waterway and the county has attracted other major ventures. In 2016, Stephen Crabb , then Welsh Secretary , commented in a government press release: "...with a buoyant local economy, Pembrokeshire is punching above its weight across
4420-716: Is the A4076 . At Johnston the junction with the A477 connects with Pembroke Dock and at Haverfordwest with the A40 . The route to Hakin and the western side of the town is along the A4076 via Victoria Bridge over the docks. Bus routes passing through the town are operated by independent companies and Pembrokeshire County Council subsidies. Services include a town circular, Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock . National Express operate services to London , Birmingham and Rochdale via Steynton . By
4550-617: Is the most westerly point of the country and the part of the county furthest from the English border, a relatively small proportion of the community knows the Welsh language . In the 2011 census, only 7.5 per cent of residents in the Milford Central ward claimed that they could speak, read and write the language, in contrast to the Pembrokeshire county as a whole where roughly 18 per cent of the population are able to read, write and speak Welsh, while in
4680-525: Is used for farming, compared with 60 per cent for Wales as a whole. Pembrokeshire's wildlife is diverse, with marine, estuary, woodland, moorland and farmland habitats. The county has a number of seasonal seabird breeding sites, including for razorbill , guillemot , puffin and Manx shearwater , and rare endemic species such as the red-billed chough ; Grassholm has a large gannet colony. Seals, several species of whales (including rare humpback whale sightings ), dolphins and porpoises can be seen off
4810-513: Is where King Arthur landed from Ireland in pursuit of the Twrch Trwyth boar as part of the Medieval Welsh prose romance Culhwch and Olwen . Drayton described the area in his Poly-Olbion as "So highly Milford is in every mouth renowned / Noe haven hath aught good, in her that is not found". Lewis Morris made Milford and Hakin the subject of his poem "The Fishing Lass of Hakin", and
4940-457: The Esso Company completed work on an oil refinery near the town, which opened despite environmental objections. This was followed by similar developments by many other chief oil companies in a 10-year period, including Texaco , Amoco , Gulf and BP . In 1974, Milford could boast an oil trade of 58,554,000 tons, which was three times the combined trade of all the other ports of Wales. In 1996
5070-572: The Fishguard Invasion . A church was consecrated in October 1808 and dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria in the underdeveloped eastern side of the town, it remained a chapel of ease until 1891 when Milford became a parish, until that time competing with St Peter and St Cewydd in Steynton . By the start of the 19th century, a mail coach was operating between London and Hubberston , and in 1800
5200-692: The Marcher Lords , such as Cemais in the north of the county. Henry Tudor, born at Pembroke Castle in 1457, landed an army in Pembrokeshire in 1485 and marched to Cardigan via Haverforwest. Rallying support, he continued to Leicestershire and defeated the larger army of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field . As Henry VII , he became the first monarch of the House of Tudor , which ruled England until 1603. The Laws in Wales Act 1535 effectively abolished
5330-530: The Milford Central , East, Hakin , Hubberston, North and West wards . The community has its own town council . The Mayor is Councillor William Elliott BA QTS, appointed on 13 May 2024 for the 2024–2025 municipal year, and the Deputy Mayor is Councillor Eddie Davies DipSM FJOIFF. The six wards comprising Milford Haven community each elect one councillor to Pembrokeshire County Council . Milford Haven
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5460-706: The 1930s criminal underworld in the area. The town was used as a filming location for the BBC drama The Onedin Line , the 1968 film The Lion in Winter and the 1984 short cult film "Vengeance". The town's Mount Estate was the location for a BBC documentary called The Mount: A Welsh Estate , which received criticism locally for its portrayal of residents. Locations in the town, including Hakin Point and Gelliswick, were used in filming for The Pembrokeshire Murders in 2020. The town possesses
5590-417: The 1950s, the fishing industry was in decline, and unemployment in the area had reached 11 per cent. There had been a housing boom however in the years following Second World War. The District Council took advantage of recently lifted restrictions, and built over 1,000 new homes to house the rising population. "A new wave of hope however arrived with the prospect of a booming oil industry. The industry however
5720-582: The 20th century, one of the most recent and largest examples being The Mount Estate, which has been the scene of a number of anti-social incidents. The attractions in the town include Fort Hubberstone , built in 1863 to defend the Haven as part of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom . It is in a prominent position in Gelliswick bay, west of the town, overlooking
5850-578: The Bro Syfynwy Heritage Group were granted £2,750 to produce a leaflet covering rural and historical life around the upper Syfynwy. The Llys y Fran Catchment Project is an ecological study based on the Afon Syfynwy catchment from its source to the Llys y Fran dam. The study, begun in July 2014, is focussed on understanding the blue green algae blooms that have been occurring in the reservoir and, with
5980-583: The Eastern Cleddau. The river is approximately 10 miles (16 km) long. The river has been used by some researchers as an indicator of ecological health and is included in the River Cleddau catchment area's Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its wide range of indigenous wild plants and animals, including water crowfoot , lamprey and otter . The Syfynwy is included in the Eastern Cleddau Special Area of Conservation (SAC). In 2009
6110-569: The Esso refinery and the Cleddau Bridge , those who decided to relocate to the town were faced with what the Preseli District Council called in 1977 "the area's serious unemployment problem". Milford Haven is not ethnically diverse, with 96.4 per cent of people identifying themselves as white, compared with 99.2 per cent in 2001. 92.9 per cent of people in Milford Central ward were born in
6240-475: The Grade II-listed Farthing's Hook Bridge. It runs between Pen-yr-Allt Wood and Velindre Wood before entering the northern end of Llys y Fran reservoir. This reservoir's dam produces electricity. After the dam, the river flows in a more southerly direction before turning south east, passing under Step-aside Bridge, near Clarbeston, and the 18th century Grade II-listed Gelli Bridge at Gelli Hill to meet
6370-603: The Haven was known as a safe port and was exploited for several historical military operations throughout the second millennium. Campaigns conducted from the Haven included part of the invasion of Ireland in 1171 by Henry II and by Cromwell in 1649. Forces which have disembarked at the point include Jean II de Rieux's 1405 reinforcement of the Glyndŵr Rising . In 1485, the future Henry VII landed close to his birthplace in Mill Bay before marching on to England. The town of Milford
6500-455: The Haven. Formerly owned by Milford Haven Port Authority, the fort is not currently open to the public, and has been the scene of non-fatal injuries to trespassers. In 2011 it was named as the fifth most endangered archaeological site in the UK by British Archaeology magazine. The ruins of an observatory , originally intended to be part of "The College of King George the Third founded at Milford",
6630-420: The Hon. Charles Francis Greville , invited seven Quaker families from Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard to settle in the new town and develop a whaling fleet. They began by building a shipyard, and leased it to a Messrs. Harry and Joseph Jacob. In December 1796, in an unusual arrangement, the Admiralty (Navy operations) directed the Navy Board (administration and supplies) to contract Jacobs shipyard to build
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#17330853349546760-458: The Norman castle built in the cantref of Penfro . In 1136, Prince Owain Gwynedd at Crug Mawr near Cardigan met and destroyed a 3,000-strong Norman/Flemish army and incorporated Deheubarth into Gwynedd. Norman/Flemish influence never fully recovered in West Wales. In 1138, the county of Pembrokeshire was named as a county palatine . Rhys ap Gruffydd , the son of Owain Gwynedd's daughter Gwenllian , re-established Welsh control over much of
6890-399: The Normans, such as Pembroke and Cilgerran , and St David's Cathedral became an important pilgrimage site. During the Industrial Revolution the county remained relatively rural, with the exception of Milford Haven, which was developed as a port and Royal Navy dockyard . It is now the UK's third-largest port, primarily because of its two liquefied natural gas terminals. The economy of
7020-415: The Pembrokeshire coast, the largest of which are Ramsey , Grassholm , Skokholm , Skomer and Caldey . The seas around Skomer and Skokholm, and some other areas off the Pembrokeshire coast are Marine protected areas . There are many known shipwrecks off the Pembrokeshire coast with many more undiscovered. A Viking wreck off The Smalls has protected status. The county has six lifeboat stations ,
7150-400: The Pembrokeshire coast; whale-watching boat trips are frequent, particularly during the summer months. An appeal for otter sightings in 2014 yielded more than 100 responses, and a rare visit by a walrus occurred in the spring of 2021. Pembrokeshire is one of the few places in the UK that is home to the rare Southern damselfly, Coenagrion mercuriale , which is found at several locations in
7280-464: The Royal Dockyard was transferred to Pembroke Dock ; though, when Robert Fulke Greville inherited the estate in 1824, a commercial dock was started which became the home of a successful fishing industry. By 1849, the district of Hakin was described as a considerable centre of boat building, and by 1906, Milford had become the sixth largest fishing port in the UK, and its population rose. The Pembrokeshire Herald claimed in 1912 that "the fish trade
7410-418: The Royal Navy accepted that its ships manoeuvrability was inferior to those of the Franco-Spanish alliance. In an effort to rectify this state of affairs the Royal Navy's first School of Naval Architecture was opened in Portsmouth in 1810. Effectively then, Millford was to be set up as a model dockyard under French management, from which lessons could be learnt for implementation in other dockyards. In 1814
7540-421: The Senedd (MSs) returned to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) in Cardiff are Paul Davies and Samuel Kurtz respectively, both Conservatives. From 2024, Pembrokeshire was represented by the new UK Parliament constituencies Ceredigion Preseli and Mid and South Pembrokeshire which, in the 2024 General Election , returned Ben Lake ( Plaid Cymru ) and Henry Tufnell ( Labour ) respectively. Pembrokeshire
7670-430: The UK, and only 3.8 per cent of residents arrived later than 2001. 96.3 per cent of residents claim English as their first language. 1.5 per cent of residents identify as having religious views other than any denomination of Christianity, including no religion. Milford Haven is in a geographical and historic area known as Little England Beyond Wales , which has predominately used English for many centuries. Although it
7800-451: The UK. In 2021, 52.7 per cent of residents identified as "Welsh only", a slight decrease since 2011. Under the Local Government Act 1888 , an elected county council was set up to take over the functions of the Pembrokeshire Quarter Sessions . It was based at the Shire Hall, Haverfordwest . This and the administrative county of Pembrokeshire were abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 , with Pembrokeshire forming two districts of
7930-423: The UK." In August 2019, the Pembrokeshire County Show celebrated 60 years at Haverfordwest Showground. The organisers anticipated 100,000 visitors, the largest three-day such event in Wales at the time. It showcased agriculture, food and drink, a rugby club, entertainment, with the star attraction a motorcycle display team. Until the 12th century, a great extent of Pembrokeshire was virgin woodland. Clearance in
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#17330853349548060-440: The area hit the headlines internationally when the oil tanker Sea Empress ran aground, causing a substantial oil spill. By the early 1980s, the Esso refinery was the second largest in the UK. Milford Haven is an Anglicization of an old Scandinavian name "Melrfjordr" that was first applied to the waterway – the Old Norse Melr , meaning sandbank, and fjordr , meaning fjord or inlet, developing into "Milford"; then later
8190-451: The area of the county was calculated to be 345,600 acres (1,399 km ) with a population of 81,424. It was not until nearly the end of the 19th century that mains water was provided to rural south Pembrokeshire by means of a reservoir at Rosebush and cast iron water pipes throughout the district. Throughout much of the 20th century (1911 to 1961) the population density in the county remained stable while it rose in England and Wales as
8320-496: The area; there may have been a Roman settlement near St Davids and a road from Bath, but this comes from a 14th-century writer. Any evidence for villas or Roman building materials reported by mediaeval or later writers has not been verified, though some remains near Dale were tentatively identified as Roman in character by topographer Richard Fenton in his Historical Tour of 1810. Fenton stated that he had "...reason to be of opinion that they had not colonized Pembrokeshire till near
8450-410: The biggest LNG terminals in the world. Milford Haven is the most populous community in the county, with a population of 13,907 within the community boundary at the 2011 census. When measured in terms of urban area the population was 13,582, making it the second largest urban area in the county after Haverfordwest (where the urban area extends beyond its community boundary). The natural harbour of
8580-462: The coast of Pembrokeshire. The early twentieth century saw a period of increased urbanisation of the area; in the period from the First World War to 1937, 312 council houses were built, and public services, such as electricity supplies and sewerage, were completed. The steep gradient of the Rath was at this time constructed, and in 1939 Milford Haven Town Hall was opened on Hamilton Terrace, at that time possessing an inbuilt fire station. 1939 also saw
8710-684: The coast, through Fishguard and Newport, to the boundary with Ceredigion at Cardigan. Owing to length restrictions in Fishguard, some freight vehicles are not permitted to travel northeast from Fishguard but must take a longer route via Haverfordwest and Narberth. The B4329 former turnpike runs from Eglwyswrw in the north to Haverfordwest across the Preselis. The main towns in the county are covered by regular bus and train services operated by First Cymru (under their "Western Welsh" livery), Transport for Wales Rail and sometimes Great Western Railway respectively, and many villages by local bus services, or community or education transport. Pembrokeshire
8840-429: The coast; this inlet is formed by the confluence of the Western Cleddau (which flows through Haverfordwest), the Eastern Cleddau, and rivers Cresswell and Carew. Since 1975, the estuary has been bridged by the Cleddau Bridge , a toll bridge carrying the A477 between Neyland and Pembroke Dock. Large bays are Newport Bay, Fishguard Bay, St Bride's Bay and western Carmarthen Bay . There are several small islands off
8970-470: The county is now focused on agriculture, oil and gas, and tourism. The county town is Haverfordwest. Other towns include Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven, Fishguard , Tenby , Narberth , Neyland and Newport . In the west of the county, St Davids is the United Kingdom's smallest city in terms of both size and population (1,841 in 2011). Saundersfoot is the most populous village (more than 2,500 inhabitants) in Pembrokeshire. Less than 4 per cent of
9100-404: The county of Dyfed . A community covering the former urban district was established at the same time, with its council taking the name Milford Haven Town Council. Preseli Pembrokeshire was abolished in 1996 and the area became part of a re-established Pembrokeshire. Milford Haven has experienced a history of boom and slump in shipbuilding , fishing , as a railhead and an ocean terminal. At
9230-449: The county through an opening up of rural industries, including agriculture, mining and fishing, with exports to England and Ireland, though the formerly staple woollen industry had all but disappeared. During the First English Civil War (1642–1646) the county gave strong support to the Roundheads (Parliamentarians), in contrast to the rest of Wales, which was staunchly Royalist . In spite of this, an incident in Pembrokeshire triggered
9360-459: The county, according to CORINE , is built-on or green urban. There are three weather stations in Pembrokeshire: at Tenby, Milford Haven and Penycwm , all on the coast. Milford Haven enjoys a mild climate and Tenby shows a similar range of temperatures throughout the year, while at Penycwm, on the west coast and 100m above sea level, temperatures are slightly lower. The county has on average
9490-400: The county, and whose numbers have been boosted by conservation work over a number of years. Ancient woodland still exists, such as Tŷ Canol Wood , where biofluorescence , seen under ultraviolet light under the dark sky, is a feature that has led to the wood being described as "...one of the most magical and special woodlands in the UK." The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is in
9620-510: The decline of their empire in Britain". Part of a possible Roman road is noted by CADW near Llanddewi Velfrey , and another near Wiston . Wiston is also the location of the first Roman fort discovered in Pembrokeshire, investigated in 2013. A find in north Pembrokeshire in 2024 of the likely remains of a Roman fort adds to the extent of Roman military presence in the area. Some artefacts, including coins and weapons, have been found, but it
9750-435: The docks was heralded as an example of the size of ship that the town could expect to attract. In the late 1850s, work began on a network of forts on both sides of the Milford Haven estuary, as a direct result of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom . They were designed with the intention of defending the United Kingdom against French invasion, although were never used for this purpose. Notable examples in
9880-464: The docks. Subsequently, it was rebranded as a marina, and a number of attractions including cafes, restaurants and retail outlets sprung up. A tourist information centre is near the retail park and the local museum, in the old custom house, focuses on the maritime history of the area. The first railway to Milford Haven was with the completion of the South Wales Railway in 1856. Brunel had
10010-431: The dockyard was transferred to Pembroke in 1814. It then became a commercial dock, with the focus moving in the 1960s, after the construction of an oil refinery built by Esso , to logistics for fuel oil and liquid gas. By 2010, the town's port had become the fourth largest in the United Kingdom in terms of tonnage, and continues its important role in the United Kingdom's energy sector with several oil refineries and one of
10140-408: The dockyard, including HMS Surprise and HMS Milford . The town was built on a grid pattern, thought to have been to the design of Jean-Louis Barrallier, who remained in charge of shipbuilding there for the Navy Board. Between 1801 and 1803, the town and waterway were protected by temporary batteries at Hakin Point and south of St Katherine's Church, in response to the perceived threat following
10270-491: The earliest of which was established in 1822; in 2015 a quarter of all Royal National Lifeboat Institution Welsh rescues took place off the Pembrokeshire coast. Pembrokeshire's diverse range of geological features was a key factor in the establishment of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and a number of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs). In the north of the county are the Preseli Mountains,
10400-449: The east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and administrative headquarters of Pembrokeshire County Council . The county is generally sparsely populated and rural, with an area of 610 square miles (1,600 km ) and a population of 123,400. After Haverfordwest, the largest settlements are Milford Haven (13,907), Pembroke Dock (9,753), and Pembroke (7,552). St Davids (1,841)
10530-481: The emphasis was often on helping people to be self-employed. While the Poor Laws provided a significant means of support, there were many charitable and benefit societies. After the Battle of Fishguard , the failed French invasion of 1797, 500 French prisoners were held at Golden Hill Farm, Pembroke. From 1820 to 1878 one of the county's prisons, with a capacity of 86, was in the grounds of Haverfordwest Castle. In 1831,
10660-632: The end of the Cretaceous Period . Around 60 million years ago, the Pembrokeshire landmass emerged through a combination of uplift and falling sea levels; the youngest rocks, from the Carboniferous Period , contain the Pembrokeshire Coalfield . The landscape was subject to considerable change as a result of ice ages; about 20,000 years ago the area was scraped clean of soil and vegetation by the ice sheet; subsequently, meltwater deepened
10790-453: The existing river valleys. While Pembrokeshire is not usually a seismically active area, in August 1892 there was a series of pronounced activities (maximum intensity: 7) over a six-day period. The Pembrokeshire coastline includes numerous bays and sandy beaches. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park , the only park in the UK established primarily because of its coastline, occupies more than
10920-497: The figures for the whole of Wales. By 2021, 43 per cent reported "no religion", while 48.8 per cent described themselves as Christian. 6.6 per cent did not state their religion, and the remainder represented a number of other religions combined. In 2001, Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency was 99 per cent white European, marginally lower than in 1991, compared with 98 per cent for the whole of Wales. 71 per cent identified their place of birth as Wales and 26 per cent as from elsewhere in
11050-408: The gothic novel The Horrors of Oakendale Abbey used Milford as a key location. The town lends its name to the fictional Californian location featured in the novelisations and radio plays by author Mara Purl. Robert Watson uses the town as the principal setting in his novel Slipping Away From Milford , as did Taprell Dorling writing as Taffrail, whose thriller Mystery at Milford Haven explored
11180-414: The height of the fishing boom, it was said that "every day was a pay day". In 1921, 674 people were identified as working in the fishing industry, the leading occupation in the town, followed by transport and communication with 600 employees. However, at peak times, more than 200 trawlers and 2,000 people were required to service the fishing industry. The development of the oil industry also helped to boost
11310-442: The highest coastal winter temperatures in Wales due to its proximity to the relatively warm Atlantic Ocean. Inland, average temperatures tend to fall 0.5 °C for each 100 metres increase in height. The air pollution rating of Pembrokeshire is "Good", the lowest rating. The rocks in the county were formed between 600 and 290 million years ago. More recent rock formations were eroded when sea levels rose 80 million years ago, at
11440-663: The industry. In the 1980s and 1990s, unemployment at times topped 30%, and the major industry of oil refining created no more than 2,000 direct or indirect jobs. Into the new millennium, its fortunes have risen, as can be witnessed in the activity surrounding the LNG terminal, and the new building works which accompanied it and its connection to the controversial South Wales Gas Pipeline . In February 2003, Pembrokeshire Council granted outline planning permission to Petroplus for an LNG storage depot at Waterston , and in March 2004, an additional site
11570-725: The land was arable or rough pasture in a ratio of about 1:3. Kelly's Directory of 1910 gave a snapshot of the agriculture of Pembrokeshire: 57,343 acres (23,206 ha) were cropped (almost half under oats and a quarter barley), there were 37,535 acres (15,190 ha) of grass and clover and 213,387 acres (86,355 ha) of permanent pasture (of which a third was for hay). There were 128,865 acres (52,150 ha) of mountain or heathland used for grazing, with 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) of managed or unmanaged woodland. Estimates of livestock included 17,810 horses, 92,386 cattle, 157,973 sheep and 31,673 pigs. Of 5,981 agricultural holdings, more than half were between 5 and 50 acres. Pembrokeshire had
11700-562: The largest port in Wales, and the sixth largest in the UK. There are two major commercial centres: Charles Street in the historic town centre, and the Havens Head Retail Park at the foot of the docks area. In 2012, it was announced that the Milford waterway was declared an Enterprise Zone by the coalition government, due to its importance to the energy sector. In 2014, plans by Milford Haven Port Authority were unveiled, which propose
11830-411: The line has been termed " Little England Beyond Wales ". The first objective, statistically based description of this demarcation was made in the 1960s, but the distinction was remarked upon as early as 1603 by George Owen of Henllys . A 21st century introduction of Welsh place names for villages which had previously been known locally only by their English names has caused some controversy. In 1851,
11960-434: The lowland south began under Anglo-Flemish colonisation and under mediaeval tenancies in other areas. Such was the extent of development that by the 16th century there was a shortage of timber in the county. Little is known about mediaeval farming methods, but much arable land was continuously cropped and only occasionally ploughed. By the 18th century, many of the centuries-old open field systems had been enclosed , and much of
12090-529: The most recent arrangement of communities (the successors to civil parishes) in the county which have their own councils; see the foot of this page for a list of communities. From 2010 to 2024, Pembrokeshire returned two Conservative MPs to the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster: Stephen Crabb for Preseli Pembrokeshire and Simon Hart for South Pembrokeshire which is represented jointly with West Carmarthenshire. The corresponding Members of
12220-472: The names of 1,200 of those that perished in World War I. In 1972, a second reservoir for south Pembrokeshire, at Llys y Fran , was completed. Pembrokeshire's population was 122,439 at the 2011 census, increasing marginally to 123,400 at the 2021 census. 66.4 per cent of residents were born in Wales, while 27.5 per cent were born in England. The 2021 census recorded that Welsh is spoken by 17.2 per cent of
12350-679: The neighbouring county of Carmarthenshire around 40 per cent of people express a similar level of fluency in Welsh. Local disconnection from the Welsh language was highlighted in November 2008, when Milford Haven Town Council unsuccessfully demanded the right to opt out of a scheme in which official documents had to be translated into Welsh if requested; the council was allegedly one of about 10 that opposed having to make such translations. Architecture in Milford Haven can be divided into roughly three broad periods of building. The number of buildings which pre-date
12480-489: The new county of Dyfed : South Pembrokeshire and Preseli – the split being made at the request of local authorities in the area. Under the same Act, civil parishes were replaced by communities across the whole of Wales. In 1996, under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 , the county of Dyfed was broken up into its constituent parts, and Pembrokeshire has been a unitary authority since then. A new County Hall
12610-522: The new realm of Deheubarth ("southern district"). Between the Roman and Norman periods, the region was subjected to raids from Vikings , who established settlements and trading posts at Haverfordwest, Fishguard, Caldey Island and elsewhere. Dyfed remained an integral province of Deheubarth, but this was contested by invading Normans and Flemings who arrived between 1067 and 1111. The region became known as Pembroke (sometimes archaic "Penbroke" ), after
12740-532: The opening of an outdoor swimming pool on the Rath. In the Second World War Milford Haven was chosen as a base for allied American troops, and roughly 1,000 American military personnel were housed in the town at this time. They manned an amphibious base which included a hospital built in Hakin and a docks complex at Newton Noyes . The base had a complement of 71 officers and 902 enlisted men, and played
12870-697: The opening shots of the Second English Civil War when local units of the New Model Army mutinied. Oliver Cromwell defeated the uprising at the Siege of Pembroke in July 1648. On 13 August 1649, the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland began when New Model Army forces sailed from Milford Haven. In 1720, Emmanuel Bowen described Pembrokeshire as having five market towns, 45 parishes and about 4,329 houses, with an area of 420,000 acres (1,700 km ). In 1791
13000-463: The population, a fall from 19.2 per cent in 2011. As a result of differential immigration over hundreds of years, such as the influx of Flemish people, the south of the county has fewer Welsh-speaking inhabitants (about 15 per cent) than the north (about 50 per cent). The rough line that can be drawn between the two regions, illustrated by the map, is known as the Landsker Line , and the area south of
13130-583: The powers of the Marcher Lords and divided the county into seven hundreds , roughly corresponding to the seven pre-Norman cantrefi of Dyfed. The hundreds were (clockwise from the northeast): Cilgerran , Cemais , Dewisland , Roose , Castlemartin , Narberth and Dungleddy and each was divided into civil parishes; a 1578 map by Christopher Saxton is the earliest known to show parishes and chapelries in Pembrokeshire; (see list of hundreds and parishes ). The Elizabethan era brought renewed prosperity to
13260-504: The process of restoring a lost temperate rainforest , also known as a Celtic forest, in Trellwyn Fach, near the town of Fishguard . Although temperate rainforests once covered much of western Britain's coasts, they were destroyed over centuries and only remain in fragments. The 59-hectare (150-acre) site will connect with remnants of the remaining rainforest in the Gwaun valley . The project
13390-523: The region and threatened to retake all of Pembrokeshire, but died in 1197. After Deheubarth was split by a dynastic feud, Llywelyn the Great almost succeeded in retaking the region of Pembroke between 1216 and his death in 1240. In 1284 the Statute of Rhuddlan was enacted to introduce the English common law system to Wales, heralding 100 years of peace, but had little effect on those areas already established under
13520-449: The region known to the Romans as Demetae . The Déisi merged with the local Welsh, with the regional name underlying Demetae evolving into Dyfed , which existed as an independent petty kingdom from the 5th century. In 904, Hywel Dda married Elen (died 943), daughter of the king of Dyfed Llywarch ap Hyfaidd , and merged Dyfed with his own maternal inheritance of Seisyllwg , forming
13650-476: The short lived Milford and Pembrokeshire Bank was established by Thomas Phillips, operating from a branch in the town. It collapsed in 1810. On 11 October 1809, a naval commission recommended purchase of the Milford Haven facility and formal establishment of a Royal Navy dockyard. This was, according to the report, due to the fact that Millford built-ships had proved to be cheaper due to the cheap cost of supplies and abundant labour supply. It proposed purchase of
13780-463: The southern slopes of the Preseli Hills at some 350 metres (1,150 ft) and flows southwards into Rosebush Reservoir, where it passes through or over the dam. Cascades, Syfynwy Falls, are immediately below the dam and are a visitor attraction when the reservoir is overflowing. Continuing south west, the river flows through a wooded valley - Holmus Wood, Farthing's Hook Wood and Dan-y-Coed, then under
13910-438: The support of landowners, will involve soil sampling and nutrient management. The project is being run in collaboration with Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales (NRW). As well as farming, the project will also consider the impact of sewage and forestry on the study area as well as water quality and invertebrate populations. Over the winter of 2013-14 Pembrokeshire Rivers Trust monitored riverflies at Gelli Bridge as part of
14040-448: The term Aber is the "pouring out" of a river, hence the description of the confluence of the two rivers and their forming an estuary. Also, Cleddau may make reference to the action of a weapon or tool cutting through the land. The town of Milford Haven lies on the north bank of the Milford Haven Waterway , which is a ria or drowned valley. This is a landscape of low-lying wooded shorelines, creeks and mudflats . There has been
14170-468: The term "Haven" from the Germanic word Haven for port or harbour was added. The town was named Milford after the waterway, and Haven was added later in around 1868 when the railway terminus was built. The Welsh for Milford Haven, "Aberdaugleddau", refers to the estuary which is the meeting point of the "White River Cleddau" (Afon Cleddau Wen) and the "Black River Cleddau" (Afon Cleddau Ddu). In Welsh,
14300-571: The terrain. From 1943 to 1944, 5,000 soldiers from the United States Army's 110th Infantry Regiment were based in the county, preparing for D-Day . Military and industrial targets in the county were subjected to bombing during World War II. After the end of the war, German prisoners of war were accommodated in Pembrokeshire, the largest prison being at Haverfordwest, housing 600. The County of Pembroke War Memorial in Haverfordwest carries
14430-476: The town were Fort Hubberstone in Gelliswick and Scoveston Fort to the north east of the town. By 1901, the town's population had reached 5,102, and by 1931 had further doubled to 10,104. In the First World War , the Haven was an assembly point for convoys to Gibraltar, and a base, under the command of R.N.R. Captain (and retired Admiral) Charles Holcombe Dare , to counter the activity of German U-boats off
14560-426: The town's fortunes. However, the slumps have been just as severe, the area being scheduled as 'distressed' in the inter-war period. Over-fishing coupled with national economic factors contributed to a significant decline in the fishing industry, resulting in smaller catches and fewer trawlers. By 1972, only twelve trawlers were registered at the port, and 1974 saw industrial and political action to save jobs related to
14690-418: The town's official foundation in 1790 are scarce. These include the medieval priory, and a 12th-century 'beacon chapel'. The initial phase of building from the late 18th century is in the area central to the town, the three parallel streets of Hamilton Terrace, Charles Street And Robert Street. Three-storey Georgian domestic and commercial properties are set along the northern side of the main road through
14820-523: The town, and overlook the harbour and waterway. By the late 19th century, the land directly above this central area was being developed. To house the growing population, rows of terrace houses were built, which slowly encompassed the area north up to Marble Hall Road, and east to Pill, examples including Shakespeare Avenue and Starbuck Road. The Great North Road took a northerly route which sliced this new district in two. Suburban owner-occupied detached and semi-detached properties grew up on land overlooking
14950-526: The waterway and along the course of Steynton Road. Around the start of the 20th century, there was a recognized need to provide accommodation to poorer families. As a result, much former agricultural land was bought, and new council housing was built. These were frequently in large estates of houses, such as Howarth Close, Haven Drive and The Glebelands Estate. They transformed previously rural areas into an urban landscape, and considerably increased Milford's area of housing. Council estates were built throughout
15080-416: The waterway before marching on England. By the late 18th century the two local creeks were being used to load and unload goods, and surrounding settlements were established, including the medieval chapel, and Summer Hill Farm, the only man-made structures on the future site of Milford. Sir William Hamilton , the town's founder, had acquired the land from his wife, Catherine Barlow of Slebech . His nephew,
15210-425: The west of the main town. Steynton is a medieval village to the north, no longer separated due to the expansion of houses. Lower Priory, with the remains of a very early religious Priory , is in a natural valley near the village of Thornton . Milford Haven enjoys a mild climate. Its proximity to the coast contributes to wet winters, but it enjoys more sunshine than most of the UK with around 1,600 hours of sunshine
15340-693: The yard at £4,455. However, as this was after the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805), when the need for naval ships was decreasing in the Napoleonic Wars , and in such a remote location, the proposal seemed perplexing. However, in light of the end of the Franco-Spanish naval engagement, and the merging of the two sides of the Royal Navy under the Admiralty Board, the fact that Frenchman Barallier would remain in charge strongly suggests to historians that
15470-402: The year than produce from other parts of the UK. Other principal arable crops are oilseed rape , wheat and barley , while the main non-arable activities are dairy farming for milk and cheese, beef production and sheep farming. Milford Haven Milford Haven ( Welsh : Aberdaugleddau , lit. 'mouth of the two rivers Cleddau ' listen ) is both a town and
15600-499: Was approved at South Hook for ExxonMobil . International tourism has also increased, with the arrival of transatlantic liners and the revenue they introduce to the town. 2012 saw 3,000 cruise passengers from six cruise vessels disembark at Milford, and the Port Authority expected 5,000 in 2013. The waterway transports 25% of Britain's requirement for motor fuel, and the port handled 53 million tonnes of shipping in 2008, making it
15730-466: Was built in 1999 in Haverfordwest and serves as the county council's headquarters. In 2017 Pembrokeshire County Council had 60 members and no political party in overall control; there were 34 independent councillors. In 2009, the question of county names and Royal Mail postal addresses was raised in the Westminster parliament; it was argued that Royal Mail's continued use of the county address Dyfed
15860-472: Was causing concern and confusion in the Pembrokeshire business community. The Royal Mail subsequently ceased requiring county names to be used in postal addresses. In 2018, Pembrokeshire County Council increased council tax by 12.5 per cent, the largest increase since 2004, but the county's council tax remains the lowest in Wales. In 2023 the council published its corporate strategy document for 2023-28. The Pembrokeshire (Communities) Order 2011 established
15990-569: Was discovered in Llanstadwell , the first such find in Wales. There may have been dairy farming in Neolithic times. There is little evidence of Roman occupation in what is now Pembrokeshire. Ptolemy 's Geography , written c. 150 , mentioned some coastal places, two of which have been identified as the River Teifi and what is now St Davids Head, but most Roman writers did not mention
16120-461: Was founded in 1793, after Sir William Hamilton obtained an Act of Parliament in 1790 to establish the port at Milford, and takes its name from the natural harbour of Milford Haven , which was used for several hundred years as a staging point on sea journeys to Ireland and as a shelter by Vikings. It was known as a safe port and is mentioned in Shakespeare's Cymbeline as "blessed Milford". It
16250-415: Was not labour-intensive, and did not provide huge labour opportunities for locals, in the 1970s employing only 2,000 workers." The nature of large construction projects meant that workers were attracted from outside the local area, and the decline of the fishing industry was to a certain extent masked. However, this employment was not permanent. On completing the construction of construction projects such as
16380-554: Was originally conceived as a plan to create an impressive Milford to Manchester railway. The trains using the line were operated by Great Western Railway who had part funded the original railway. Milford Haven railway station , the terminus of the West Wales Line , and the trains serving it, are operated by Transport for Wales Rail . Trains depart every two hours to Manchester Piccadilly via Carmarthen , Swansea and Cardiff Central . The main road to and from Milford Haven
16510-640: Was passed, appointing improvement commissioners to run the town. Under the Local Government Act 1894 the improvement commissioners' district became an urban district in December 1894, with an elected council. The act also specified that parishes could not straddle district boundaries, and so the part of the urban district in Steynton parish became a parish called Milford, and the part in Hubberston parish became
16640-476: Was used as the base for several military operations, such as Richard de Clare's invasion of Leinster in 1167, Henry II's Invasion of Ireland in 1171, John's continued subjugation of the Irish in 1185 and 1210 and Oliver Cromwell 's 1649 invasion of Ireland ; while forces which have disembarked at the point include Jean II de Rieux 's 1405 reinforcement of the Glyndŵr Rising and Henry VII's 1485 landing at
16770-473: Was used for bombing practice by the RAF and USAF. 51°50′27″N 4°46′57″W / 51.8408°N 4.7826°W / 51.8408; -4.7826 Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( / ˈ p ɛ m b r ʊ k ʃ ɪər , - ʃ ər / PEM -bruuk-sheer, -shər ; Welsh : Sir Benfro [siːr ˈbɛnvrɔ] ) is a county in the south-west of Wales . It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to
16900-458: Was used in the 18th century as a gun battery , and its eastern edge was the site of the Royalist fort constructed by Charles I known as Pill Fort . In the 1930s it became the home of an outdoor swimming pool, which was converted into a water gardens in 1990. Milford Haven Waterway forms a large natural harbour . The Torch Theatre , opened in 1977 and designed by local architect Monty Minter,
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