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PEMBROKESHIRE (Sir Benfro, Dyfed)

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Originally appearing in Volume V21, Page 83 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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See also:

PEMBROKESHIRE (See also:Sir Benfro, Dyfed) , the most See also:westerly See also:county of See also:South See also:Wales, bounded N.E. by See also:Cardigan, E.by See also:Carmarthen, S. by the See also:Bristol Channel and W. and N.W. by St See also:Bride's See also:Bay and Cardigan Bay of St See also:George's Channel. See also:Area 615 sq. m. The whole See also:coast is extremely indented, extending over 140 M. in length. The See also:principal inlets are See also:Milford Haven, St Bride's Bay, See also:Freshwater Bay, See also:Fishguard Bay and See also:Newport Bay. The See also:chief promontories are Cemmaes, Dinas, Strumble, St See also:David's, St See also:Ann's and St Gowan's Heads. Five islands of moderate See also:size See also:lie off the coast, viz. See also:Ramsey, Grassholm, Skomer and Skokholm in St Bride's Bay, and Caldy See also:Island (Ynys Pyr) opposite See also:Tenby; the last named having a See also:population of about 70 persons. Rare birds, such as peregrine falcons, ravens and choughs are not uncommon, while guillemots, puffins and other See also:sea-See also:fowl breed in immense See also:numbers on the Stack Rocks, on Ramsey Island and at various points of the coast. See also:Seals are plentiful in the caves of St Bride's Bay and Cardigan Bay. The county is undulating, and large tracts are See also:bare, but the valleys of the Cleddau, the Nevern, the Teifi and the Gwaun are well-wooded. The Preselley Mountains stretch from Fishguard to the border of Carmarthen, the principal heights being Preselley See also:Top (1760 ft.) and Carn Englyn (1022 ft.). Treffgarn See also:Rock in the Plumstone Mountains is popularly supposed to See also:mark the See also:northern limit of the See also:ancient See also:settlement of the Flemings.

The principal See also:

rivers are the Teifi, forming the northern boundary of the county from Abercych to Cardigan Bay; the Nevern and the Gwaun, both falling into Cardigan Bay; and the Eastern and Western Cleddau, forming the Daugleddau after their junction below See also:Haverfordwest. All these streams contain See also:trout and See also:salmon. There are no lakes, but the broad tidal estuaries of the Daugleddau and other rivers, which fall into Milford Haven and are locally called " pills," constitute a See also:peculiar feature of south Pembrokeshire scenery. See also:Geology.—Pembrokeshire is divisible into a northern portion occupied mainly by Ordovician and See also:Silurian strata, which have been subjected to pressures from the See also:north, the strike of the beds being south-See also:west-north-See also:east; and a See also:southern portion, the westerly continuation of the South \Vales coalfield, with associated See also:Lower Carboniferous, Old Red See also:Sandstone and narrow belts of Silurian rocks, the whole having been considerably folded and faulted by pressure from the south, which has produced a See also:general north-west-south-east strike. In the neighbourhood of St Davids are the Pre-See also:Cambrian granitic rocks (Dimetian) and volcanic rocks (Pebedian). These are surrounded by belts of unconformable Cambrian strata (Lingula Flags, Tremadoc beds), followed by Ordovician (Arenig, Llandeilo and See also:Bala beds) with associated igneous rocks. These comprise gabbros and diabases of Strumble See also:Head, Fishguard, Llanwnda, Prescclly; diorites north-west of St Davids, bostonites and porphyrites about Abercastle and the basaltic See also:laccolite of See also:Pen Caer, besides various contemporaneous See also:acid lavas and tuffs. The Ordovician and Silurian rocks extend southward to the See also:neighbour-See also:hood of Narberth and Haverfordwest, where Arenig, Llandeilo and Bala beds (See also:Slade and Red See also:Hill beds; Sholeshook and Robeston \Valthen See also:Limestone) and See also:Llandovery beds are recorded. The See also:Coal See also:Measures, highly inclined and anthracitic, stretch across from Carmarthen Bay to the See also:shore of St Bride's Bay; they are bordered on the north and south-east by the Millstone Grits, Carboniferous Limestone See also:series and Old Red Sandstone. On See also:account of the foldingthe limestone appears again farther south at See also: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 See also:tract of blown-See also:sand occurs in Freshwater Bay south of Milford Haven. See also:Silver-bearing See also:lead has been See also:mined at Llanfyrnach.

See also:

Climate and See also:Industries.—The climate is everywhere mild, and in the sheltered valleys near the coast sub-tropical vegetation flourishes in the open See also:air. In the south the rainfall is small, and the districts See also:round Pembroke suffer from occasional droughts. The chief See also:industry is See also:agriculture, wherein stock-raising is preferred to the growing of cereals. Of See also:cattle the See also:long-horned, See also:jet-See also:black Castlemartin breed is everywhere conspicuous. South Pembroke has long been celebrated for its horses, which are bred in See also:great numbers by the farmers. The deep-sea See also:fisheries of Tenby and Milford are valuable; and fresh See also:fish of See also:good quality is exported by See also:rail to the large towns. Oysters are found at Langwm and near Tenby; lobsters and crabs abound on the western coast. The South Wales coalfield extends into south Pembroke, and coal is worked at Saundersfoot, Begelly, See also:Temple-ton, Kilgetty and other places. There are See also:slate quarries at Glogue, Cilgerran and elsewhere; See also:copper has been worked near St Davids, and lead at Llanfyrnach. Communications.—The South Wales See also:branch of the Great Western railway enters Pembrokeshire from the east near Clynderwen Junction, whence the See also:main See also:line leads to Fishguard See also:Harbour with its important Irish See also: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 See also:

running south-west from Whitland proceeds by way of Narberth and Tenby to Pembroke See also:Dock. Population and See also: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 See also:hamlet of See also:Bridgend and a See also:part of St Dogmell's See also:parish are included within the municipal limits of Cardigan. Newport (Trefdraeth) (1222), the chief See also:town of the See also:barony of Kemes, or Cemmaes, still possesses a See also:mayor and See also:corporation under a See also:charter granted in 1215 by Sir See also:Nicholas Marteine, See also: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 See also:urban districts. Other towns are St Davids (1710), St Dogmells (Llandudoch) (1286); and Cilgerran (1038). Pembrokeshire lies in the South Wales See also:circuit, and assizes are held at Haverfordwest. Two members are returned to See also:parliament; one for the county, and one for the See also:united boroughs of Pembroke, Haverfordwest, Tenby, Fishguard, Narberth, Neyland, Milford and Wiston (See also:Castell Gwys). Ecclesiastically, the county contains 153 parishes and lies wholly in the See also:diocese of St Davids. See also:History.—Pembrokeshire, anciently known to the Welsh as Dyfed, was originally comprised in the territory of the Dimetae, conquered by the See also:Romans.

During the 6th See also:

century St David, or Dewi Sant, moved the chief seat of South Welsh monastic and ecclesiastical See also:life from See also:Caerleon-on-See also:Usk to his native See also:place Menevia, which, known in consequence as Tyddewi, or St Davids, continued a centre of religious and educational activity until the See also:Reformation, a See also:period of r000 years. On the See also:death of Rhodri Mawr in 877, Dyfed See also: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 See also:William the Conqueror penetrated west as far as St Davids, where he is said to have visited St David's See also:shrine as a devout See also:pilgrim. In 1092 See also:Arnulf de Montgomeri, son of See also:Roger, See also:earl of See also:Shrewsbury, did See also:homage to the See also:king for the Welsh lands of Dyfed. With the See also:building of Pembroke See also:Castle, of which Gerald de See also:Windsor was appointed castellan, the See also:Normans began to spread over southern Dyfed; whilst See also:Martin de See also:Tours, landing in Fishguard Bay and building the castle of Newport at Trefdraeth, won for himself the extensive lordship of Kemes (Cemmaes) between the See also:river Teifi and the Preselley Mountains. The systematic planting of Flemish settlers in the See also:hundred of Rhos, or Roose, in or about the years iro6, 1ro8 and 1111 with the approval of See also:Henry I., and again in 1156 under Henry II., marks an all-important See also: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 See also:grew to be known as " Little See also:England beyond Wales," a See also:district whereof the See also:language, customs and See also:people still remain characteristic. In 1138 See also:Gilbert de See also:Clare, having previously obtained Henry I.'s permission to enjoy all lands he might win for himself in Wales, was created earl of Pembroke in See also:Stephen's reign with the full See also:powers of an earl See also:palatine in Dyfed. The See also:devolution of this earldom is dealt with in a See also:separate See also:article. In 1536, by the See also:Act of See also:Union (27 Henry VIII.), the king abolished all See also:special See also:jurisdiction in Pembrokeshire, which he placed on an equal footing with the remaining shires of Wales, while its See also:borders were enlarged by the addition of Kemes, Dewisland and other outlying lordships. By the act of 1536 the county returned to parliament one See also:knight for the See also: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 See also:parliamentary See also:division. The Reformation deprived the county of the presence of the bishops of St Davids, who on the partial dismantling of the old episcopal See also:palace at St Davids removed their chief seat of See also:residence to Abergwiliy, near Carmarthen.

Meanwhile the See also:

manor of Lamphey was granted to the See also:family of Devereux, earls of See also:Essex, and other episcopal estates were alienated to See also:court favourites, notably to Sir See also:John See also:Perrot of Haroldstone (1517-1592), afterwards lord-See also:deputy of See also:Ireland. During the See also:Civil See also:Wars the forces of the parliament, commanded by See also:Colonel Laugharne and See also:Captain Swanley, reduced the royal forts at Tenby, Milford and Haverfordwest. In See also:February 1797 some See also:French frigates appeared off Fishguard Bay and landed about 1400 Frenchmen at Llanwnda. The invaders soon capitulated to the See also:local See also:militia, practically without striking a See also:blow. The loth century saw the See also:establishment of the See also:naval dockyard at Paterchurch and the building of docks and quays at Neyland and Milford. In 1906 extensive See also:works for See also:cross-traffic with Ireland were opened at Fishguard Harbour. Many of the old Pembrokeshire families, whose names appear prominent in the county See also:annals, are See also:extinct in the county itself. Amongst these may be mentioned Perrot of Haroldstone, Devereux of Lamphey, See also:Barlow of Slebech, See also:Barrett of Gilliswick, Wogan of Wiston, Elliot of Amroth and See also:Owen of Henllys. Amongst ancient families still existing are Philipps of Lydstep and Amroth (descendants of the old Welsh lords of Cilsant); Philipps of See also:Picton Castle (a branch of the same See also:house in the See also:female line); Lort of Stackpole Court, now represented by Earl See also:Cawdor; Scourfield of Moate; See also:Bowen of Llwyngwair; See also:Edwardes, Lords See also:Kensington, of St Brides; Meyrick of See also:Bush; Lort-Philipps of Lawrenny; See also:Colby of Ffynone; See also:Stokes of Cuffern; See also:Lloyd of Newport Castle (in which family is vested the hereditary lord-See also:ship of the barony of Kemes) ; Saunders-See also:Davies of Pentre; and See also:Gower of Castle Malgwyn. Antiquities.—There are few remaining traces in the county of the See also:Roman occupation of Dimetia, but in See also:British encampments, tumuli, cromlechs and monumental stones Pembrokeshire is singularly See also: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 See also:stone circles and alignments, that known as See also:Pare-y-Marw, or " The See also: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 See also:

Celtic floriated See also:churchyard crosses at See also:Carew, Penally and Nevem. Interesting examples of See also:medieval domestic See also:architecture are the ruinsof the former episcopal mansions at Llawhaden, St Davids and Lamphey, the two latter of which were erected by See also:Bishop Gower between the years 1328-1347. With the exception of the See also: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 See also:fine monuments or other See also:objects of See also:interest, especially in " Little England beyond Wales." Amongst the more See also:note-worthy are the churches at Stackpole Elidur, Carew, See also:Burton, Gumfreston, Nevern, St Petrox and Rudbaxton, the last-named containing a fine Jacobean See also:monument of the See also:Hayward family. Pembrokeshire has long been famous for its castles, of which the finest examples are to be observed at Pembroke; Manorbier, built in the 12th century and interesting as the birthplace and See also:home of Giraldus Cambrensis; Carew, exhibiting many interesting features both of See also:Norman and Tudor architecture; and Picton, owned and inhabited by a branch of the Philipps family. Other castles are the keep of Haverfordwest and the ruined for-tresses at Narberth, Tenby, Newport, Wiston, See also:Benton, Upton and Cilgerran. There are some remains of monastic houses at Tenby and Pembroke, but the most important religious communities were the priory of the Augustinian friars at Haverfordwest and the See also:abbey of the See also:Benedictines at St Dogmells. Of this latter house, which was founded by Martin de Tours, first lord of Kemes, at the See also:close of the 11th century, and who owned the priories of Pill and Caldy, considerable ruins exist near the See also:left See also:bank of the Teifi about 1 m. below Cardigan. Of the ancient preceptory of the Knights of St John at Slebech scarcely a trace remains, but of the See also:college of St See also:Mary at St Davids founded by Bishop See also:Houghton in 1377, the See also:shell of the See also:chapel survives in See also:fair preservation. Pembrokeshire contains an unusually large number of county seats, particularly in the south, which includes Stackpole Court, the residence of Earl Cawdor, a fine See also:mansion erected in the 18th century; Picton Castle; Slebech, once the seat of the Barlows; Orielton, formerly belonging to the See also:Owens; and Ffynone, the residence of the Colby family. Customs, &'c.—The division of Pembrokeshire ever since the 12th century into well-defined See also:Englishry and Welshry has produced two distinct sets of See also:languages and customs within the county. Roughly speaking, the See also:English division, the Anglia Transwalliana of See also:Camden, occupies the south-eastern See also: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, See also:manners and folk-See also:lore of the inhabitants are almost identical with those of Cardigan and Carmarthen.

The old Celtic See also:

game of Knappan, a pastime partaking of the nature both of See also:football and See also:hockey, in which whole parishes and even hundreds were wont to take an active part, was prevalent in the barony of Kemes so See also:late as the 16th century, as George Owen of Henllys, the historian and See also:antiquary, records; and the playing of knappan lingered on after Owen's See also: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 See also: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 See also:Year's See also:morning; the procession of the Cutty See also:Wren on St Stephen's day, and the constructing of little huts at Lammastide by the See also:farm boys and girls. As See also:early as the opening years of the loth century, cripples and ophthalmic patients were in the See also:habit of visiting the ancient hermitage at St Gowan's Head to bathe in its sacred well; and See also:Richard See also: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 See also:dress of the fishwives of Langwm near Haverfordwest is highly picturesque with its See also:short skirt, See also:scarlet See also:shawl and buckled shoes.

End of Article: PEMBROKESHIRE (Sir Benfro, Dyfed)

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