Our next event - Febuary 7th

On Saturday February 7th we are pleased to welcome John Brandrick who will be speaking on ‘The Foundation, Development and decline of Whitland Abbey’. Whitland Abbey was an important Cistercian Abbey founded in 1151. It developed a strong Welsh cultural identity under the patronage of powerful Welsh princes and grew in importance to become the motherhouse of the Cistercian order of monks in Wales. Several daughter houses were established including Strata Florida, Strata Marcella, and Cwmhir. The Abbey thrived during medieval Wales but it gradually declined in its later years until its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1539. John Brandrick is a retired Engineering Draughtsman, whose main interest now is illustrating and researching Whitland Abbey as well drawing the machinery in wind and water mills throughout Wales and the rest of the world to provide a record for the future. His talk is a highly detailed and illustrated presentation, which covers who the Whitland Abbey monks were and where they came from; how the abbey was built and interfaced with the nobility and how it fared with the upheavals of the period from 1150 until the dissolution. Visibly lost over the course of subsequent centuries, John then tells of the Abbey’s rediscovery in the 1800s and of the excavations, which have taken place since then until now, and of its future. John is a member of the Friends of Whitland Abbey, a voluntary group that takes care of the Abbey site, which is open to the public at all times.

Return of St Mary's Bells January 21st

Big day for Pembroke on Wednesday 21st January - after a major renovation of the bells and replacement of three floors in the Norman tower, St Mary's bells came home at last! Apparently when bells first come into a church it is a tradition that they are blessed, or re-blessed if they return from a period of absence. Often the bells are decorated for the occasion and our Society was invited to decorate one of the bells, the 9th bell which was cast in 1765. Wow, imagine that – when it as cast, George III was King and America was a British colony! We were asked to choose a decoration which would symbolise our organisation so we chose a Tudor theme – a posy of red and white roses set in a golden crown. The renovation of the bells is an amazing achievement and congratulations to our wonderful St Mary’s Church, to Anne Bunker who has worked so tirelessly to bring this about and to all involved. Thank you from us all – and we look forward to once again hearing these wonderful bells ring out.

Saturday January 17th - Nathen Amin talk on Owain Glyndwr

On Saturday, we welcomed Nathen Amin – and what a great start to this year’s programme! Nathen spoke to a full house as illustrated in the photographs! Nathen is nationally know for his championing of Henry VII and gives talks all over the country as well as appearances in the media. He is an acclaimed historian and writer. Nathen has been a good friend to Pembroke in the support of our Henry VII statue campaign and has journeyed down to Pembroke on other occasions to speak at our events. This time the subject of his talk was Owain Glyndwr, the leader of the revolt against the oppressive English rule of Henry IV that began in 1400 and lasted 15 years; it was a revolt sparked by a land dispute that escalated into a national war for independence. Glyndwr was a great patriot who fought for an independent future for Wales. He held the first Welsh Parliament at Machynlleth where he was formally crowned as Prince of Wales and where he set out a bold future for Wales including the establishment of a separate church and two universities. This is commemorated by monument that stands in the grounds of Y Plas, Machynlleth. Sadly, after initial successes, the campaign ultimately failed due to the superior strength and resources of the English monarchy but Glyndŵr was never captured or betrayed by his followers. He disappeared around 1415, and his final resting place remains a mystery. Glyndwr remains an iconic symbol of Welsh nationalism and resistance and two statues can be found is Wales: one in City Hall, Cardiff and the other in Corwen.

Next event Saturday January 17th

Happy New Year to all our friends and supporters! Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society will meet again in the New Year on Saturday January 17th in Pembroke Town Hall, when we are pleased to welcome back Nathen Amin, Welsh historian and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Please note: this is a week later than the date previously advertised due to the fact that the Town Hall is undergoing repairs and will not be available earlier. Nathen is nationally recognised for his work on the history of Henry Tudor and when he last spoke with us, introduced his latest book ‘Son of Prophesy: the Rise of Henry Tudor’. This time, however, he will turn his attention to another great Welsh hero in his talk ‘Owain Glyndwr: Rebel, Prince and Visionary’. There will be an opportunity to purchase Nathen’s books following the talk. Owain Glyndŵr is one of the most revered and misunderstood figures in Welsh and British history. A national hero to many and a rebel to others, Glyndŵr’s vision for an independent Wales sparked one of the most explosive uprisings against the English crown in the early 15th century. But who was the man behind the legend? In this brand new talk, Nathen delves into the remarkable story of a prince who dared to challenge an empire. With fresh insight and historical depth, he explores the life, ambition, and impact of Owain Glyndŵr—and asks: who was the real Owain Glyndŵr, and what does his legacy mean more than six hundred years later? Doors open at 10am for the Coffee Morning followed by the Talk at 11am. Open also for the event will be Pembroke Museum and Council Chamber, which are situated on the first floor of the Town Hall. A lift is available for disabled access. All are welcome to attend and entry is free. Any queries, contact pembrokehistory@live.co.uk