William Marshal statue progresses!

Latest photos of the William Marshal statue.  Harriet Addyman continues to make great progress and the statue is looking fantastic!  I posted them on Facebook a few days ago and they went viral!  Amazing response and such enthusiasm! 

Work progresses on the new Henry Tudor Centre

 

Following the success of the Henry VII statue, we campaigned for a Heritage Centre dedicated to Henry Tudor, in celebration of his birth in Pembroke Castle.  Now, at last, this is becoming a reality.  Pembrokeshire County Council began building works at the end of last year and it is progressing well. 

For so long an eyesore, these buildings are now being converted by PCC into a Heritage Centre with community facilities including a Tourist Information Centre, Library and Cafe.  The land to the rear will become community gardens with access from the South Quay.  This is an exciting project and something really to look forward to!

William Marshal statue

Like organisations everywhere, we are still unable to plan any public meetings and events in the near future.  However, our work continues and I'm pleased to report that our super talented sculptor, Harriet Addyman, is making progress on the William Marshal sculpture and we hope that, the state of Covid-19 permitting, the statue will be unveiled at the end of August / September with a celebration in Pembroke Castle. This is a joint venture with Pembroke Town Council and is part funded by Pembrokeshire County Council's Enhancement Pembrokeshire grant.

PROJECT FOR A DRAGON FOUNTAIN

Sculptor Gideon Petersen with the Dragon maquette

Last year we won a funding grant from LEADER to explore the feasibility of  a fountain in Pembroke Millpond.The idea originated from the need to improve the environment of Pembroke Millpond, a cause for public concern.  Reeds growing out of control and green algal bloom covering the waters of Pembroke Millpond are problems which Pembroke Town Council is seeking to resolve.  Last year a new Millpond Group was formed to find solutions to these problems.  Working alongside these organisations, the History Society believes that a fountain would help aerate the waters of the Millpond to improve the water quality with a beneficial effect on the local landscape and pond life.

Funding was obtained from LEADER to explore this idea:

1. Explore the design and technology involved in the fountain’s working and construction

2. Involve the local schools in a STEAM project

3. Build a working maquette - (small scale working model)

The fountain in the shape of a dragon will be a fitting sculpture for a town branding itself as the birthplace of the Tudor Dynasty. The supporters of the Tudor Coat of Arms are the Welsh Dragon and the White Greyhound.  The Henry Tudor statue on the Mill Bridge features the greyhound – we need the Welsh Dragon to complete the picture.

This stage of the project is now complete and the maquette of the dragon has been made by local sculptor Gideon Petersen, responsible for the acclaimed statue of Welsh resistance hero Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in Llandovery and the popular Bertie the Sea Bass created for the Turn the Tide on Plastic project led by Amroth and Saundersfoot community councils.  We would like to organise a public consultation to invite community views but, because of COVID-19 restrictions, this is not possible at the present time.  However, we are exhibiting our Dragon in the shop window next to Brown’s Café (by kind permission of Mrs Glenys Brown) so that it can be on public view - a practical demonstration of its workings will have to wait until we can hold a public meeting. 

If you would like to offer any comment, please contact Pembroke Town Hall or email us on pembrokehistory@live.co.uk

You can view the maquette in the window next to Brown's Cafe

QUIZ NIGHT CANCELLED

Friday's Quiz Night has had to be cancelled due to Government advice.  

These are exceptional times and we all have to be careful particularly as a very large proportion of our members and volunteers fall into the vulnerable category. 

There remains a question mark over future events as nothing can take place until the threat is lifted. 

Please check out also our website and Facebook for further information.

www.pembrokeandmonktonhistory.org.uk

1939 - Reflections from Castlemartin

Lynn Houston presents a copy of her DVD to our President, Frank Harries

Saturday's Coffee Morning and Talk was very well attended. It was disappointing that Father Gilda could not be with us but we were extremely grateful to Lynne Houston of Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks for stepping in at the last minute to give us a presentation of her DVD' 1939 - Reflections from Castlemartin'. 
The Requisition of farms for the tank range was a traumatic period in our local history and it is still felt. We have also collected memories from this time and, following Lynne's film, showed two of the digital stories we made on this subject - one by John Russell (who was brought up on Lyserry Farm) and one by Josie Thomas( who was born on Newton Farm). Newton Farm was one of those taken by the military and Josie's family had to relocate to the North of the county - a poignant story as her parents were never happy. These 2 digital stories or short films form part of our community history 'Through My Eyes' - a collection of 45 stories in a book with an accompanying dvd, which traces the history of Pembroke through the individual stories of local people. We published this in 2014 and still have copies left, now  reduced in price to the bargain price of £5.

The Russell family of Lyserry Farm

Baby Josie Thomas with her parents outside Newton Farm.

MARCH EVENTS