Pembroke River Rally - Saturday August 17th

Pembroke's River Rally was a great success with around 70 craft taking part to sail up the Pembroke River to the Castle Pond led by the WWMHS boat 'Heritage'. On the South Quay a large crowd greeted the boats, attended by Pembroke's Mayor (Cllr Ann Mortenson} and Town Crier (Cllr Gareth Jones). Pembroke has a great maritime heritage and, although the days of the Coastal trade are a distant memory, the annual River Rally is there to remind us. The construction of the barrage across the Pembroke river blocked the way to shipping and the River Rally came about to establish the right to navigate the Pembroke River. The West Wales Maritime Heritage Society was asked by the Mayor of Pembroke to organise the very first Pembroke River Rally in 1995. The Society calculates when the tide will allow the event to take place, arranges a flagship for the Mayors of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock and a flotilla of boats to provide a spectacle and mark Pembroke's maritime History. This is done once a year to keep the rights of navigation alive for those who sail the Pembroke River and who wish to enter the Castle Pond.

August 7th - at the Pembroke Show

We had a stall at the Pembroke Town and Country Show - great show, so much to see and do and so well attended! Established in 1817, the Farmers Club has held the annual Pembroke and Country show for over 200 years.

At the going down of the sun ... Pembroke commemorates D_Day

Many Pembroke people assembled in Pembroke Castle to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day to watch the lighting of the Beacon by the Mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Ann Mortenson. Across the nation, beacons were lit at 9.15pm, at sunset, at the 'going down of the sun, and in the morning, we remember them'. The occasion was all the more moving, taking place against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset seen vividly from the Castle.

Saturday June 1st - at Carew Castle

Enjoyable day at Carew Castle where we took part in the 'Unearthing History' event yesterday, joining other Pembrokeshire heritage groups. Lovely in the sun!

Northern Lights over Pembrokeshire!

The Northern Lights' spectacle - caused when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere to create vibrant displays of colour-gave rise to much excitement nationwide. These photographs were taken in nearby Carew.

Friday 10th May - at Lamphey Palace

With Pembroke Civic Trust at Lamphey Palace for a guided talk with Terry John. A lovely afternoon in glorious sunshine and a very interesting talk. Once the retreat of the Bishop of St Davids, this building claims connection with two very prominent Tudor people - Margaret Beaufort and the Earl of Essex. Tradition has it too that Henry Tudor was conceived here when Edmund Tudor brought his 13 year old bride, Margaret Beaufort to live at the palace. But before Henry was born, Edmund died fighting for the King and she gave birth at nearby Pembroke Castle under the protection of her brother in law, Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke. The Earl of Essex's family owned Lamphey Hall and he was brought up there before his rise to fame as Queen Elizabeth's favourite - only to perish in the end on the scaffold in the Tower of London. His ghost however, is said to haunt the Palace - and apparently there are many ghosts, black monks, white ladies and the like. Some people do claim to have seen them ...

Saturday May 4th - Coffee Morning and Talk

Saturday’s talk was the last in our 2023/24 programme and proved popular with an entertaining talk by Terry John who told us ‘How to Speak Tudor’: informing us how words have changed meaning since Tudor times (with some very peculiar and humerous expressions) and how the English language had since developed. A look too at the Elizabethan costume and what it symbolised. As usual we began the morning with coffee and cake and opened up the Museum and Council Chamber. The Museum will also open next Saturday May 11th, as there will be a Craft Fair in the Town Hall as part of the Pembroke Festival. Looking to the future, our next talk will take place on the first Saturday of October when Gareth Mills will be back to give a talk on the Stackpole Estate.