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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: PAS-PER |
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PEMBROKESHIRE (Sir Benfro, Dyfed) , the most westerly county of South Wales, bounded N.E. by Cardigan, E.by Carmarthen, S. by the Bristol Channel and W. and N.W. by St Bride's Bay and Cardigan Bay of St George's Channel. Area 615 sq. m. The whole coast is extremely indented, extending over 140 M. in length. The principal inlets are Milford Haven, St Bride's Bay, Freshwater Bay, Fishguard Bay and Newport Bay. The chief
Geology.Pembrokeshire is divisible into a northern portion occupied mainly by Ordovician and Silurian
Silurian
Bala
Bala
series and Old Red Sandstone. On account of the foldingthe limestone appears again farther south at Pembroke, Caldy Island and St Gowan's Head; most of the remaining ground about Milford Haven being occupied by Old Red Sandstone with infolded strips of Silurian. A fairly large tract of blown-sand occurs in Freshwater Bay south of Milford Haven. Silver-bearing lead has been mined at Llanfyrnach.Climate and Industries.The climate is everywhere mild, and in the sheltered valleys near the coast sub-tropical vegetation flourishes in the open air. In the south the rainfall is small, and the districts round Pembroke suffer from occasional droughts. The chief
Communications.The South Wales branch of the Great Western railway enters Pembrokeshire from the east near Clynderwen Junction, whence the main line leads to Fishguard Harbour with its important Irish traffic. Other lines proceed to Neyland and Milford Haven by way of Haverfordwest, and a branch line from Clynderwen to Goodwick joins the main line at Letterston. The Whitland-Cardigan branch traverses the north-east by way of Crymmych and Cilgerran. Another line running south-west from Whitland proceeds by way of Narberth and Tenby to Pembroke Dock. Population and Administration.The area of Pembrokeshire is 395,151 acres with a population in 1891 of 89,138 and Igor of 88,732, showing a slight decrease. The municipal boroughs are Pembroke (pop. 15,853); Haverfordwest (6007); and Tenby (4400). The hamlet of Bridgend and a part of St Dogmell's parish are included within the municipal limits of Cardigan. Newport (Trefdraeth) (1222), the chief town of the barony of Kemes, or Cemmaes, still possesses a mayor and corporation under a charter granted in 1215 by Sir Nicholas Marteine, lord of Kemes, whose hereditary representative still nominates the mayor and aldermen, but its surviving municipal privileges are practically honorary. Milford Haven (5102), Narberth (1070) and Fishguard (2002) are urban districts. Other towns are St Davids (1710), St Dogmells (Llandudoch) (1286); and Cilgerran (1038). Pembrokeshire lies in the South Wales circuit, and assizes are held at Haverfordwest. Two members are returned to parliament; one for the county, and one for the united boroughs of Pembroke, Haverfordwest, Tenby, Fishguard, Narberth, Neyland, Milford and Wiston (Castell Gwys). Ecclesiastically, the county contains 153 parishes and lies wholly in the diocese of St Davids.History.Pembrokeshire, anciently known to the Welsh as Dyfed, was originally comprised in the territory of the Dimetae, conquered by the Romans. During the 6th century St David, or Dewi Sant, moved the chief seat of South Welsh monastic and ecclesiastical life from Caerleon-on-Usk to his native place Menevia, which, known in consequence as Tyddewi, or St Davids, continued a centre of religious and educational activity until the Reformation, a period of r000 years. On the death of Rhodri Mawr in 877, Dyfed fell nominally under the sway of the princes of Deheubarth, or South Wales; but their hold was never very secure, nor were they able to protect the coast towns from the Scandinavian pirates. In 1o81 William the Conqueror penetrated west as far as St Davids, where he is said to have visited St David's shrine as a devout pilgrim. In 1092 Arnulf de Montgomeri, son of Roger, earl
Bay and building the castle of Newport at Trefdraeth, won for himself the extensive lordship of Kemes (Cemmaes) between the river Teifi and the Preselley Mountains. The systematic planting of Flemish settlers in the hundred of Rhos, or Roose, in or about the years iro6, 1ro8 and 1111 with the approval of Henry I., and again in 1156 under Henry II., marks an all-important episode in the history of Pembrokeshire. The castles of Haverfordwest and Tenby were now erected to protect these aliens, and despite the fierce attacks of the Welsh princes their domain grew to be known as " Little England beyond Wales," a district whereof the language, customs and people still remain characteristic. In 1138 Gilbert de Clare, having previously obtained Henry I.'s permission to enjoy all lands he might win for himself in Wales, was created earl
In 1536, by the Act of Union (27 Henry VIII.), the king abolished all special jurisdiction in Pembrokeshire, which he placed on an equal footing with the remaining shires of Wales, while its borders were enlarged by the addition of Kemes, Dewisland and other outlying lordships. By the act of 1536 the county returned to parliament one knight for the shire and two burgesses; one for the Pembroke boroughs and one for the town and county of Haverfordwest, both of which since 1885 have been merged in the" Pembroke-and-Haverfordwest parliamentary division. The Reformation deprived the county of the presence of the bishops of St Davids, who on the partial dismantling of the old episcopal palace at St Davids removed their chief seat of residence to Abergwiliy, near Carmarthen. Meanwhile the manor of Lamphey was granted to the family of Devereux, earls of Essex, and other episcopal estates were alienated to court favourites, notably to Sir John Perrot of Haroldstone (1517-1592), afterwards lord-deputy of Ireland. During the Civil Wars the forces of the parliament, commanded by Colonel Laugharne and Captain Swanley, reduced the royal forts at Tenby, Milford and Haverfordwest. In February 1797 some French frigates appeared off Fishguard Bay and landed about 1400 Frenchmen at Llanwnda. The invaders soon capitulated to the local militia, practically without striking a blow. The loth century saw the establishment of the naval dockyard at Paterchurch and the building of docks and quays at Neyland and Milford. In 1906 extensive works for cross-traffic with Ireland were opened at Fishguard Harbour.Many of the old Pembrokeshire families, whose names appear prominent in the county annals, are extinct in the county itself. Amongst these may be mentioned Perrot of Haroldstone, Devereux of Lamphey, Barlow of Slebech, Barrett of Gilliswick, Wogan of Wiston, Elliot of Amroth and Owen of Henllys. Amongst ancient families still existing are Philipps of Lydstep and Amroth (descendants of the old Welsh lords of Cilsant); Philipps of Picton Castle (a branch of the same house in the female line); Lort of Stackpole Court, now represented by Earl Cawdor; Scourfield of Moate; Bowen of Llwyngwair; Edwardes, Lords Kensington, of St Brides; Meyrick of Bush
Davies
Antiquities.There are few remaining traces in the county of the Roman occupation of Dimetia, but in British encampments, tumuli, cromlechs and monumental stones Pembrokeshire is singularly rich. Of the cromlechs the best preserved are those at Longhouse, near Mathry; at Pentre Evan in the Nevern Valley; and at Llech-y-dribedd, near Moylgrove; whilst of the many stone circles and alignments, that known as Pare-y-Marw, or " The Field of the Dead," near Fishguard, is the least injured. Stones inscribed in Ogam characters are not uncommon, and good examples exist at Caldy Island, Bridell, St Dogmells and Cilgerran. There are good specimens of Celtic floriated churchyard crosses at Carew, Penally and Nevem. Interesting examples of medieval domestic architecture are the ruinsof the former episcopal mansions at Llawhaden, St Davids and Lamphey, the two latter of which were erected by Bishop Gower between the years 1328-1347. With the exception of the cathedral at St Davids and the principal churches of Haverfordwest and Tenby, the parish churches of Pembrokeshire are for the most part small, but many are ancient and possess fine monuments or other objects of interest
Customs, &'c.The division of Pembrokeshire ever since the 12th century into well-defined Englishry and Welshry has produced two distinct sets of languages and customs within the county. Roughly speaking, the English division, the Anglia Transwalliana of Camden, occupies the south-eastern half and comprises the hundreds of Roose, Castlemartin, Narberth and Dungleddy. In the Welshry, which includes the hundreds of Dewisland and Cilgerran together with the old barony of Kemes, the language, customs, manners and folk-lore of the inhabitants are almost identical with those of Cardigan and Carmarthen. The old Celtic game of Knappan, a pastime partaking of the nature both of football and hockey, in which whole parishes and even hundreds were wont to take an active part, was prevalent in the barony of Kemes so late as the 16th century, as George Owen of Henllys, the historian and antiquary, records; and the playing of knappan lingered on after Owen's day. Amongst the settlers of the Englishry, who are of mingled Anglo-Saxon, Flemish, Welsh and perhaps Scandinavian descent, many interesting superstitions and customs survive. The English spoken by these dwellers in " Little England beyond Wales " contains many curious idioms and words and the pronunciation of some of the vowels is peculiar. Certain picturesque customs, many of them dating from pre-Reformation times, are still observed, notably in the neighbourhood of Tenby. Such are the sprinkling of persons with dewy evergreens on New Year's morning; the procession of the Cutty Wren on St Stephen's day, and the constructing of little huts at Lammastide by the farm boys and girls. As early as the opening years of the loth century, cripples and ophthalmic patients were in the habit of visiting the ancient hermitage at St Gowan's Head to bathe in its sacred well; and Richard Fenton, the county historian alludes (c. 18o8) to the many crutches left at St Gowan's chapel by grateful devotees. Belief in ghosts, fairies, witches, &c., is still prevalent in the more remote places, and the dress of the fishwives of Langwm near Haverfordwest is highly picturesque with its short skirt, scarlet shawl and buckled shoes. End of Article: PEMBROKESHIRE (Sir Benfro, Dyfed) If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
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