John Taylor; the Water Poet

Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society meets again on Saturday April 1st with a Coffee Morning and Talk in Pembroke Town Hall, commencing at 10am. Our speaker this month is Terry John and the subject of his talk is ‘John Taylor; the Water Poet'. John Taylor was a remarkable writer of poems, epigrams and prose who was born in the reign of Elizabeth I and became famous for a number of journeys he made around Britain. He made an eccentric tour of Wales in 1652, visiting Pembroke, Tenby and St Davids and described it all in verse and prose. Doors will open from 10am for coffee and an opportunity to visit the Museum and Council Chamber, which are situated on the first floor of the Town Hall – a lift is available for disabled access. Following this, at 11am, assemble in the George Lewis Room for the talk. Everyone is welcome to attend - you do not have to be a member - and entry is free.

Meeting of March 4th

Yesterday's meeting of the History Society didn't quite go to plan - our advertised speaker, Father Gildas, was unable to make the trip from Caldey Island but we had an enjoyable meeting even so. Linda Asman gave a talk about Pembroke's great art heritage with a display of the museum's collection of engravings. Also discussed was the progress of our arts/sculpture trail. The museum attracted a lot of interest as usual and, displayed in the Council Chamber, were the plans for PCC's South Quay development along with heritage photographs of the old quayside.

Our AGM on February 17th

Our next event - Saturday March 4th

We look forward to welcoming Father Gildas of Caldey Island to our next meeting on Saturday March 4th. Father Gildas has spoken to us on other occasions - this time he will be talking about women's much neglected role in history. Largely overshadowed by men, we do not hear much about her story: it's very much his story!

Rose Blackburn is awarded the BEM

At a ceremony at County Hall, Rose Blackburn, Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society Trustee and Vice Chairman, received her award of BEM from the Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed, Sara Edwards. The award was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last year, the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year. Many congratulations from all of us in the Society – so well deserved. So many years of voluntary service to the community in many roles - from the youth justice board to animal welfare and the Pembrokeshire Community Health Council. Rose has been a Town Councillor for many years, a former Mayor and, as Town Crier, cut a colourful figure in Pembroke for 27 years!

Pembroke Stained Glass - a talk by Dr Martin Crampin

Saturday's meeting of the Society was a great success. Around 70 people assembled at Monkton Priory Church to hear Dr Martin Crampin talk about the church stained glass. We all then proceeded to St Mary's Church for the second half of the talk and were treated to coffee and homemade Welsh cakes by Church Warden Marcia James and her team of volunteers. A big thank you to them - catering for so many was a big undertaking! Dr Crampin also brought along his just published book 'Stained Glass from Welsh Churches' and was asked to sign a few. It was a lovely morning with so many joining us.

The Stained Glass of Pembroke - February 4th

We have a change to our usual programme on February 4th. Our next event will not take place in the Town Hall but in our two churches where we have a really interesting talk planned. We will meet in Monkton Priory Church at 10.30am where we will meet Dr Martin Crampin, who is travelling down from Aberystwyth to talk about the stained glass. Then we will make our way - either ride or walk - to St Mary's Church where refreshments will be served and the talk continue. I can promise you a really enjoyable morning. Martin Crampin is as an artist, photographer and designer based in Aberystwyth, where he is a Research Fellow at the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. Martin has been researching ecclesiastical art in Wales for around twenty years, and has contributed to a series of research projects exploring aspects of visual culture in Wales and the place of the saints in Wales. His acclaimed Stained Glass from Welsh Churches was published in 2014 and his Welsh Saints from Welsh Churches will be available in early 2023. Since 2019 he has been involved in the ‘Ports Past and Present’ project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme. The project has been exploring the culture and histories of the five port towns linking Wales and Ireland.