Book Launch on November 9th

Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society is pleased to announce the launch of their latest publication : ‘Pembroke Remembers:  a Memorial publication recalling the part played by Pembroke and District in The Great War and recording some of the local events marking the Centenary of the War'.  

The book launch will take place in Pembroke Town Hall on Saturday morning, November 9th at 10am.  There will be a talk by Dr Simon Hancock on ‘The Great Peace’ as well as an exhibition of work by the VC Gallery. All are welcome and there will be an accompanying Coffee Morning.

The Princes of Wales - talk on October 18th

Linda Asman (speaker) with Frank Harries, Society President

In this 50th anniversary of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales, it seemed to be fitting to look back at the history of Wales and discover the origins and evolution of the title.  It is a story which takes us back to the beginning of the first century AD and the break up of the Roman Empire; a time when Wales was to emerge as a collection of independent kingdoms managing to hold on to their culture and language in the face of invasion from the Anglo Saxons from the East and Irish from the West. Great leaders emerged with the dream of a united Wales but the failure to achieve this left Wales fragmented in the face of the Norman conquest which ultimately conquered all Welsh resistance with the defeat of the Llewellyn the Last by Edward I.  Edward had his own son, Edward of Caernarfon (later Edward II) declared Prince of Wales and, despite the heroic but ill fated rising of Owain Glyndwr who briefly claimed the title, the title has been passed on to the heirs to the English throne.

The talk also took a look at Pembroke's royal connections and visits through the years ending with a series of photographs from the Society archive, shown to the rousing accompaniment of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 1.

October 5th - Talk by Dr Robert Davies MBE

Dr Robert Davies

We began our Autumn Programme of events with a talk by Dr Robert Davies MBE. A fascinating journey around Pembrokeshire in the footsteps of Richard Fenton, who published his famous 'Historical Tour Through Pembrokeshire' in 1810. Not only is Robert an interesting speaker, but also a very talented photographer. His presentation was illustrated with superb photographs of Pembrokeshire.

Richard Fenton

October Events

Our next event will be an illustrated talk by Dr Robert Davies 'An Historical Tour through Pembrokeshire in the footsteps of Richard Fenton’ on Saturday morning, October 5th in Monkton Hall.  There will be an accompanying Coffee Morning beginning 10am and the talk will commence at 10.30am.  

Also in October, Linda Asman will be giving a presentation on Friday evening, October 18th at 7.30pm in Monkton Church Hall. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales and she looks back at the origins of the title and on Pembroke's royal connections and visits through the years.

Winners of the Quiz

Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society’s Quiz Night on September 20th was well attended and, amid fierce competition, the winners were (left to right in the photograph) Cathy Griffiths, Gilly Jones, Quizmaster Rose Blackburn and Brian Jones.  An enjoyable evening was had by all with a lovely buffet prepared by the P&M Committee. Many thanks to all who supported and contributed prizes for the raffle: altogether £172 was raised for the William Marshal statue fund.

Our next Quiz Night & buffet will be held on Friday November 22nd in Monkton Priory Church Hall at 7.30pm

60th Anniversary of Pembroke Castle Trust - September 7th

2019 marked the 60th Anniversary of the formation Pembroke Castle Trust and to celebrate the Castle was open for free during the afternoon 12 -6.  We were invited along to promote our work, which we did by exhibiting the maquette of the projected William Marshal statue - we also took the opportunity to fundraise by selling the raffle tickets provided for us by Pembroke Rotary.  Another  £101.50 towards the statue campaign!

Stuart taking a break - busy selling raffle tickets all afternoon.

The sun shone. It was a lovely afternoon and a good crowd attended. There was  entertainment,  music, circus skills, abeiling from the Great Keep (for the brave) and a variety of food stalls. 

Carmarthen's Bosworth Festival - August 10th

Carmarthen held its own Bosworth Festival - celebrating the fact the Sir Rhys ap Thomas is buried in St Peter's Church.  For in this church is the tomb of Sir Rhys ap Thomas,the man credited as being the man who killed Richard III.  

 At the festival was Dr Susan Fern who has written the book - she wrote it as she feels passionately that Rhys' contribution to the success of the Tudor Dynasty has been overlooked by history. I can recommend the book and, as I had already read it a while back in researching Henry VII, asked her to sign it for me. Which she did!

Dr Susan Ferns signing my copy of her book 'The Man Who Killed Richard III'

The tomb of Rhys ap Thomas in St Peter's Church