Chapter I: Preface

The kindly reception accorded to my 'Nooks and Corners of Herefordshire,' both by the public and the press, has encouraged me (where, indeed, encouragement was little needed) to set forth anew upon my sketching rambles, and explore the Nooks and Corners of Pembrokeshire.

In chronicling the results of these peregrinations, I feel that I owe some apology to those whose knowledge of the Shire of Pembroke is far more thorough and intimate than my own, and upon whose preserves I may fairly be accused of poaching. I venture to plead, in extenuation, an inveterate love for exploring these unfrequented byways of my native land, and for searching out and sketching those picturesque old buildings that lend such a unique interest to its sequestered nooks and corners.

Pembrokeshire is rich in these relics of a bygone time, but for one reason or another they do not appear to have received the attention they certainly deserve. Few counties can boast anything finer of their kind than the mediæval castles of Pembroke, Manorbere and Carew; while St. Davids Cathedral and the ruined Palace of its bishops, nestling in their secluded western vale, form a scene that alone is worth a visit to behold. No less remarkable in their way are the wonderful old crosses, circles and cromlechs, which remind the traveller of a vanished race as he tramps the broad fern-clad uplands of the Precelly Hills. It is a notable fact that 'he who runs may read,' in the diversified character of its place-names, an important and interesting chapter of Pembrokeshire history. The south-western portion of the county, with the Saxon 'tons' of its Teutonic settlers, is as English as Oxfordshire, and hence has acquired the title of 'Little England beyond Wales.' On the other hand, the northern and eastern districts are as Welsh as the heart of Wales; and there, as the wayfarer soon discovers for himself, the mother-tongue of the Principality is the only one 'understanded of the people.'

Although Pembrokeshire cannot pretend to lay claim to such striking scenery as the North Wallian counties display, yet its wind-swept uplands and deep, secluded dingles have a character all their own; while the loftier regions of the Precelly Hills, and the broken and varied nature of the seaboard, afford many a picturesque prospect as the traveller fares on his way.

In compiling the following notes I have availed myself of Fenton's well-known work on Pembrokeshire, and of the writings of George Owen of Hênllys; I have consulted the records of that prolific chronicler, Gerald de Barri; Bevan's 'History of the Diocese of St. Davids; and Jones and Freeman's exhaustive work on St. Davids Cathedral; besides various minor sources of local information which need not be specified here.

In conclusion, I take this opportunity to tender my sincere thanks to those friends and acquaintances whose ready help and advice so greatly facilitated my task, while at the same time enhancing the pleasure of these sketching rambles amidst the Nooks and Corners of Pembrokeshire.

H. THORNHILL TIMMINS.
_Harrow_, 1895.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
A GENERAL SURVEY. THE KING'S TOWN OF TENBY 1
ROUND ABOUT THE RIDGEWAY 23
MANORBERE CASTLE, AND GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS 41
PEMBROKE TOWN AND CASTLE. STACKPOLE AND THE SOUTHERN COAST 54
TO ANGLE, RHÔSCROWTHER, AND THE CASTLE MARTIN COUNTRY 76
CAREW, WITH ITS CROSS, CASTLE AND CHURCH. UPTON CASTLE AND
CHAPEL. PEMBROKE DOCK AND HAVERFORDWEST 93
TO ST. BRIDES, MARLOES AND THE DALE COUNTRY 114
WESTWARD HO! TO ST. DAVIDS. THE CITY AND ENVIRONS 126
TO FISHGUARD, NEWPORT, GOODWIC AND PENCAER 142
NEWPORT, NEVERN AND TEIVYSIDE 149
A RAMBLE OVER PRECELLY HILLS, TO THE SOURCES OF THE CLEDDAU 167
ON AND OFF THE NARBERTH ROAD. LANGWM AND DAUGLEDDAU 178

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
THE ROOD SCREEN, ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL _Frontispiece_
BECALMED OFF TENBY 8
TENBY 9
MACES PRESENTED TO TENBY BY CHARLES II. 11
THE CHANCEL OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH, TENBY 12
A BIT OF OLD TENBY 14
RUINS OF ST. MARY'S PRIORY AT TENBY 15
OLD HOUSES AT TENBY 16
THE WALLS OF TENBY TOWN 17
ST. GEORGE'S GATE, TENBY 18
THE PRIORY, CALDEY ISLAND 20
THE ANCIENT TREASURY OF TENBY 22
WEATHERCOCK ON TENBY STEEPLE 23
GUMFRESTON CHURCH 25
CHURCH PLATE AT GUMFRESTON 26
PENALLY HOUSE 32
AT LAMPHEY PALACE 36
THE CHANCEL, HODGESTON CHURCH 38
ANCIENT QUERN OR HAND MILL 40
KEYS OF MANORBERE CASTLE 41
MANORBERE CASTLE, FROM THE EAST 42
THE COURTYARD, MANORBERE CASTLE 42
GATE-TOWER, MANORBERE CASTLE 43
MANORBERE CASTLE, FROM THE SOUTH 44
DE BARRI TOMB, MANORBERE 47
THE CHURCH PATH, MANORBERE 49
MANORBERE CHURCH 50
ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON 54
PEMBROKE 55
PEMBROKE CASTLE 56
THE OLD WEST GATE, PEMBROKE 61
THE PRIOR'S DWELLING, MONKTON 62
SIR ELIDUR DE STACKPOLE 64
STACKPOLE 66
THE HIRLAS HORN 67
ST. GOVAN'S CHAPEL 69
ORIELTON 74
AT RHÔSCROWTHER 75
SEA-POPPY 76
SEAMEN'S CHAPEL AT ANGLE 81
RUINED CASTLE AT ANGLE 82
JESTYNTON 85
AT RHÔSCROWTHER 88
CASTLE MARTIN CHURCH 90
A WAYSIDE WELL 92
CASTLE MARTIN FONT 92
CAREW CROSS 93
THE CROSS OF THE SON OF ILTEUT, THE SON OF ECETT 94
A CORNER OF CAREW CASTLE 97
CAREW CASTLE 98
BOY-BISHOP, CAREW 99
OLD RECTORY HOUSE AT CAREW 100
UPTON CASTLE 101
OLD CHAPEL AT UPTON, NEAR PEMBROKE 103
FROM UPTON CHAPEL 106
LUCY WALTERS 107
JOHNSTONE CHURCH 108
A VIEW OF HAVERFORDWEST 109
BROTHER RICHARD'S TOMB, HAVERFORDWEST 110
ST. MARY'S, HAVERFORDWEST 111
ARMS OF HAVERFORDWEST 113
CHALICE AT DALE 114
WALTON-WEST CHURCH 115
WALWYN'S CASTLE 115
SUMMER SHOWERS, LITTLE HAVEN 116
LITTLE HAVEN 117
LOW TIDE AT LITTLE HAVEN 117
ST. BRIDES 118
ORLANDON 119
MULLOCK BRIDGE 120
MARLOES 121
MARLOES SANDS 122
DALE CASTLE, AND MILFORD HAVEN 123
'THIS IS BRUNT' 124
A RELIC OF THE SPANISH ARMADA 125
THE ST. DAVIDS COACH 126
ROCH CASTLE 127
SOLVA HARBOUR, FROM AN OLD PRINT 128
ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL 129
THE GATE-TOWER, ST. DAVIDS 129
THE BONE OF CONTENTION 130
SEAFARING PILGRIMS 131
THE BOATBUILDERS 132
ST. DAVID'S SHRINE 133
SYMBOL OF THE TRINITY, ST. DAVIDS 135
BISHOP GOWER'S PALACE, ST. DAVIDS 136
THE PALACE, ST. DAVIDS, FROM THE MEADOWS 137
OLD COTTAGE NEAR ST. DAVIDS 140
THE PRIEST AND THE LAYMAN 141
THE ROYAL OAK, FISHGUARD 142
CLOCK AT BRESTGARN 144
LLANWNDA CHURCH 145
THE CHALICE AT LLANWNDA 146
A DERELICT 148
SALMON FISHER WITH CORACLE 149
TREWERN CHAPEL AND BYRNACH'S CROSS, NEVERN 153
PILGRIMS' CROSS AT NEVERN 155
THE TOAD OF TRELLYFAN 156
CROMLECH AT PENTRE EVAN 158
A TEIVYSIDE CORACLE 161
KILGERRAN FERRY 162
KILGERRAN CASTLE, FROM THE TEIFY 163
LLECHRHYD BRIDGE 164
CASTLE MALGWYN 164
CROMLECH AT NEWPORT 166
OLD WELSHWOMAN 167
THE SKIRTS OF PRECELLY 168
THE HOWARD MONUMENT, AT RUDBAXTON 176
AT HAVERFORDWEST 177
CARVED BENCH-END, HAVERFORDWEST 178
OLD STAIRCASE AT HAVERFORDWEST 178
UZMASTON 179
LANGWM FISHWIVES 181
LAWRENNY CASTLE 182
BENTON CASTLE 183
PICTON CASTLE 185
SLEBECH OLD CHURCH 188
LLAWHADEN CASTLE AND BRIDGE 191
EGLWYSFAIR GLAN TÂF 197
REDBERTH FONT 198
MAP OF PEMBROKESHIRE _at beginning_
SPEED'S MAP OF THE COUNTY _at end_