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[Illustration: Book Cover]




NOOKS AND CORNERS OF PEMBROKESHIRE.




[Illustration]




[Illustration: THE ROOD SCREEN ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL]




[Illustration: NOOKS & CORNERS OF PEMBROKESHIRE.

DRAWN & DESCRIBED BY
H. THORNHILL TIMMINS, F.R.C.S.

AUTHOR of
NOOKS & CORNERS OF HEREFORDSHIRE

LONDON:
ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1895.]




PREFACE.


The kindly reception accorded to my 'Nooks and Corners of Herefordshire,'
both by the public and the press, has encouraged me (where, indeed,
encouragement was little needed) to set forth anew upon my sketching
rambles, and explore the Nooks and Corners of Pembrokeshire.

In chronicling the results of these peregrinations, I feel that I owe
some apology to those whose knowledge of the Shire of Pembroke is far
more thorough and intimate than my own, and upon whose preserves I may
fairly be accused of poaching. I venture to plead, in extenuation, an
inveterate love for exploring these unfrequented byways of my native
land, and for searching out and sketching those picturesque old
buildings that lend such a unique interest to its sequestered nooks and
corners.

Pembrokeshire is rich in these relics of a bygone time, but for one
reason or another they do not appear to have received the attention they
certainly deserve. Few counties can boast anything finer of their kind
than the mediaeval castles of Pembroke, Manorbere and Carew; while St.
Davids Cathedral and the ruined Palace of its bishops, nestling in their
secluded western vale, form a scene that alone is worth a visit to
behold. No less remarkable in their way are the wonderful old crosses,
circles and cromlechs, which remind the traveller of a vanished race as
he tramps the broad fern-clad uplands of the Precelly Hills. It is a
notable fact that 'he who runs may read,' in the diversified character
of its place-names, an important and interesting chapter of
Pembrokeshire history. The south-western portion of the county, with the
Saxon 'tons' of its Teutonic settlers, is as English as Oxfordshire, and
hence has acquired the title of 'Little England beyond Wales.' On the
other hand, the northern and eastern districts are as Welsh as the heart
of Wales; and there, as the wayfarer soon discovers for himself, the
mother-tongue of the Principality is the only one 'understanded of the
people.'

Although Pembrokeshire cannot pretend to lay claim to such striking
scenery as the North Wallian counties display, yet its wind-swept
uplands and deep, secluded dingles have a character all their own; while
the loftier regions of the Precelly Hills, and the broken and varied
nature of the seaboard, afford many a picturesque prospect as the
traveller fares on his way.

In compiling the following notes I have availed myself of Fenton's
well-known work on Pembrokeshire, and of the writings of George Owen of
Henllys; I have consulted the records of that prolific chronicler,
Gerald de Barri; Bevan's 'History of the Diocese of St. Davids; and
Jones and Freeman's exhaustive work on St. Davids Cathedral; besides
various minor sources of local information which need not be specified
here.

In conclusion, I take this opportunity to tender my sincere thanks to
those friends and acquaintances whose ready help and advice so greatly
facilitated my task, while at the same time enhancing the pleasure of
these sketching rambles amidst the Nooks and Corners of Pembrokeshire.

  H. THORNHILL TIMMINS.
  _Harrow_, 1895.




CONTENTS.


                                                                    PAGE
  A GENERAL SURVEY. THE KING'S TOWN OF TENBY                           1
  ROUND ABOUT THE RIDGEWAY                                            23
  MANORBERE CASTLE, AND GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS                           41
  PEMBROKE TOWN AND CASTLE. STACKPOLE AND THE SOUTHERN COAST          54
  TO ANGLE, RHOSCROWTHER, AND THE CASTLE MARTIN COUNTRY               76
  CAREW, WITH ITS CROSS, CASTLE AND CHURCH. UPTON CASTLE AND
      CHAPEL. PEMBROKE DOCK AND HAVERFORDWEST                         93
  TO ST. BRIDES, MARLOES AND THE DALE COUNTRY                        114
  WESTWARD HO! TO ST. DAVIDS. THE CITY AND ENVIRONS                  126
  TO FISHGUARD, NEWPORT, GOODWIC AND PENCAER                         142
  NEWPORT, NEVERN AND TEIVYSIDE                                      149
  A RAMBLE OVER PRECELLY HILLS, TO THE SOURCES OF THE CLEDDAU        167
  ON AND OFF THE NARBERTH ROAD. LANGWM AND DAUGLEDDAU                178




INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.


                                                                    PAGE
  THE ROOD SCREEN, ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL                   _Frontispiece_
  BECALMED OFF TENBY                                                   8
  TENBY                                                                9
  MACES PRESENTED TO TENBY BY CHARLES II.                             11
  THE CHANCEL OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH, TENBY                             12
  A BIT OF OLD TENBY                                                  14
  RUINS OF ST. MARY'S PRIORY AT TENBY                                 15
  OLD HOUSES AT TENBY                                                 16
  THE WALLS OF TENBY TOWN                                             17
  ST. GEORGE'S GATE, TENBY                                            18
  THE PRIORY, CALDEY ISLAND                                           20
  THE ANCIENT TREASURY OF TENBY                                       22
  WEATHERCOCK ON TENBY STEEPLE                                        23
  GUMFRESTON CHURCH                                                   25
  CHURCH PLATE AT GUMFRESTON                                          26
  PENALLY HOUSE                                                       32
  AT LAMPHEY PALACE                                                   36
  THE CHANCEL, HODGESTON CHURCH                                       38
  ANCIENT QUERN OR HAND MILL                                          40
  KEYS OF MANORBERE CASTLE                                            41
  MANORBERE CASTLE, FROM THE EAST                                     42
  THE COURTYARD, MANORBERE CASTLE                                     42
  GATE-TOWER, MANORBERE CASTLE                                        43
  MANORBERE CASTLE, FROM THE SOUTH                                    44
  DE BARRI TOMB, MANORBERE                                            47
  THE CHURCH PATH, MANORBERE                                          49
  MANORBERE CHURCH                                                    50
  ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON                                           54
  PEMBROKE                                                            55
  PEMBROKE CASTLE                                                     56
  THE OLD WEST GATE, PEMBROKE                                         61
  THE PRIOR'S DWELLING, MONKTON                                       62
  SIR ELIDUR DE STACKPOLE                                             64
  STACKPOLE                                                           66
  THE HIRLAS HORN                                                     67
  ST. GOVAN'S CHAPEL                                                  69
  ORIELTON                                                            74
  AT RHOSCROWTHER                                                     75
  SEA-POPPY                                                           76
  SEAMEN'S CHAPEL AT ANGLE                                            81
  RUINED CASTLE AT ANGLE                                              82
  JESTYNTON                                                           85
  AT RHOSCROWTHER                                                     88
  CASTLE MARTIN CHURCH                                                90
  A WAYSIDE WELL                                                      92
  CASTLE MARTIN FONT                                                  92
  CAREW CROSS                                                         93
  THE CROSS OF THE SON OF ILTEUT, THE SON OF ECETT                    94
  A CORNER OF CAREW CASTLE                                            97
  CAREW CASTLE                                                        98
  BOY-BISHOP, CAREW                                                   99
  OLD RECTORY HOUSE AT CAREW                                         100
  UPTON CASTLE                                                       101
  OLD CHAPEL AT UPTON, NEAR PEMBROKE                                 103
  FROM UPTON CHAPEL                                                  106
  LUCY WALTERS                                                       107
  JOHNSTONE CHURCH                                                   108
  A VIEW OF HAVERFORDWEST                                            109
  BROTHER RICHARD'S TOMB, HAVERFORDWEST                              110
  ST. MARY'S, HAVERFORDWEST                                          111
  ARMS OF HAVERFORDWEST                                              113
  CHALICE AT DALE                                                    114
  WALTON-WEST CHURCH                                                 115
  WALWYN'S CASTLE                                                    115
  SUMMER SHOWERS, LITTLE HAVEN                                       116
  LITTLE HAVEN                                                       117
  LOW TIDE AT LITTLE HAVEN                                           117
  ST. BRIDES                                                         118
  ORLANDON                                                           119
  MULLOCK BRIDGE                                                     120
  MARLOES                                                            121
  MARLOES SANDS                                                      122
  DALE CASTLE, AND MILFORD HAVEN                                     123
  'THIS IS BRUNT'                                                    124
  A RELIC OF THE SPANISH ARMADA                                      125
  THE ST. DAVIDS COACH                                               126
  ROCH CASTLE                                                        127
  SOLVA HARBOUR, FROM AN OLD PRINT                                   128
  ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL                                               129
  THE GATE-TOWER, ST. DAVIDS                                         129
  THE BONE OF CONTENTION                                             130
  SEAFARING PILGRIMS                                                 131
  THE BOATBUILDERS                                                   132
  ST. DAVID'S SHRINE                                                 133
  SYMBOL OF THE TRINITY, ST. DAVIDS                                  135
  BISHOP GOWER'S PALACE, ST. DAVIDS                                  136
  THE PALACE, ST. DAVIDS, FROM THE MEADOWS                           137
  OLD COTTAGE NEAR ST. DAVIDS                                        140
  THE PRIEST AND THE LAYMAN                                          141
  THE ROYAL OAK, FISHGUARD                                           142
  CLOCK AT BRESTGARN                                                 144
  LLANWNDA CHURCH                                                    145
  THE CHALICE AT LLANWNDA                                            146
  A DERELICT                                                         148
  SALMON FISHER WITH CORACLE                                         149
  TREWERN CHAPEL AND BYRNACH'S CROSS, NEVERN                         153
  PILGRIMS' CROSS AT NEVERN                                          155
  THE TOAD OF TRELLYFAN                                              156
  CROMLECH AT PENTRE EVAN                                            158
  A TEIVYSIDE CORACLE                                                161
  KILGERRAN FERRY                                                    162
  KILGERRAN CASTLE, FROM THE TEIFY                                   163
  LLECHRHYD BRIDGE                                                   164
  CASTLE MALGWYN                                                     164
  CROMLECH AT NEWPORT                                                166
  OLD WELSHWOMAN                                                     167
  THE SKIRTS OF PRECELLY                                             168
  THE HOWARD MONUMENT, AT RUDBAXTON                                  176
  AT HAVERFORDWEST                                                   177
  CARVED BENCH-END, HAVERFORDWEST                                    178
  OLD STAIRCASE AT HAVERFORDWEST                                     178
  UZMASTON                                                           179
  LANGWM FISHWIVES                                                   181
  LAWRENNY CASTLE                                                    182
  BENTON CASTLE                                                      183
  PICTON CASTLE                                                      185
  SLEBECH OLD CHURCH                                                 188
  LLAWHADEN CASTLE AND BRIDGE                                        191
  EGLWYSFAIR GLAN TAF                                                197
  REDBERTH FONT                                                      198
  MAP OF PEMBROKESHIRE                                    _at beginning_
  SPEED'S MAP OF THE COUNTY                                     _at end_




[Illustration: Map of Pembrokeshire]




CHAPTER I.

A GENERAL SURVEY. THE KING'S TOWN OF TENBY.


Far away beyond the many-folding hills of Brecon and Glamorgan, whose
hollow 'cwms' are seamed with smoke from many a pit and furnace: far
away beyond the broad uplands and fertile straths where Towey and Teivy
seek the sea; the ancient shire of Pembroke thrusts forth, against the
western main, its bold and rugged coast-line. From Strumble Head to
Caldey, the grim primaeval rocks that guard these storm-beaten shores
bear the full brunt of the Atlantic gales upon their craggy bastions;
which, under the ceaseless influence of time and tempest, have assumed
endless varieties of wild, fantastic outline and rich harmonious
colouring.

A weather-beaten land is this, where every tree and hedgerow tells, in
horizontal leeward sweep, of the prevalent'sou'-wester.' Few hills
worthy the name break these wide-expanded landscapes, above whose'meane
hills and dales' one graceful mountain range rises in solitary
pre-eminence. Stretching athwart the northern portion of the county, the
shapely peaks of the Precelly Mountains dominate every local prospect,
attaining in Moel Cwm Cerwyn a height of 1,760 feet, and throwing out
westwards the picturesque heights of Carn Englyn; whence the range
finally plunges seawards in the bold buttress of Dinas Head, and the
wild and rugged hills of Pencaer.

The inferior heights of Treffgarn and Plumstone'mountain,' whose
singular crags recall the tors of Cornwall, form a quaint feature in the
prospect during the otherwise tedious drive to St. Davids. Perched upon
the westernmost spur of these hills, the lonely peel-tower of Roch
Castle looks out across the wind-swept plains of old Dewisland to the
fantastic peaks of Carn Llidi and Pen-beri, whose ancient rocks rise
abruptly from the ocean.

Down from the broad, fern-clad shoulders of Precelly flow the few
Pembrokeshire streams that approach the dignity of rivers. Hence the
twin floods of Eastern and Western Cleddau, rising far asunder at
opposite ends of the range, meander southwards in widely-deviating
courses through the heart of the county, to unite beneath the walls of
Picton Castle, and merge at last into the tidal waters of Milford Haven.

Westwards flows the little river Gwaen, circling through a picturesque
vale beneath the shadow of Carn Englyn, and emerging from its secluded
inland course upon the narrow, land-locked harbour of Fishguard. Towards
the north a group of streamlets unite to form the Nevern River, which
flows, amidst some of the most charming scenery in the county, through
the village of that ilk. After passing beneath the luxuriant groves of
Llwyngwair, the Nevern stream enters a sandy bay and bears the modest
commerce of Newport to the waterside hamlet of Parrog.

The Newgale Brook sweeps around Roch Castle, and enters St. Bride's Bay
through a broad rampart of shingle and sand. This latter stream has from
very early times formed the boundary between the ancient provinces of
Dewisland and Rhos; and to this day the Newgale Brook draws a line of
demarcation between an English and a Welsh speaking people. Upon its
left bank lies Rhos, a portion of the district known as 'Little England
beyond Wales,' with its Saxon speech and Norman fortress of Roch; while
all to westward stretches venerable Dewisland, Welsh now as ever in
tongue and in title.

The Solva River, emerging from a deep and narrow 'cwm,' forms one of
the most picturesque harbours upon the coast--a tempting nook for the
artist. Lastly, the little Allan Water, rising amidst those curious
hills which overlook St. Davids, meanders past open, gorse-clad commons
and marshlands abloom with the golden flag. Thenceforth the Allan winds
around the ruins of the Bishop's palace, and finally loses itself in a
tiny haven frequented by a few trading craft and small coastwise
colliers.

Deep into the bluff outline of this sea-girt land, old Ocean encroaches
by two important inlets of widely different character. As the wayfarer
bound to St. Davids approaches his destination, the tedium of the long
coach-drive is at last relieved by the welcome outlook across a broad
expanse of sea. This is St. Bride's Bay, whose waters sweep inland past
the ancient city for a distance of ten miles or so, having the large
islands of Ramsey and Skomer lying upon either horn of the bay.

Tradition tells that, 'once upon a time,' a fair country studded with
villages and farmsteads flourished where now the ocean rolls; and traces
of submerged forests about Newgale, and elsewhere within the compass of
the bay, suggest a possible grain of truth in the local fable.

A few miles farther down the coast the famous estuary of Milford Haven
opens seaward between the sheltering heights of St. Anne's Head, and the
long, crooked peninsula of Angle. Wonderful are the ramifications of
this magnificent waterway, within whose spacious roadstead the whole
British navy might with ease find anchorage; while its land-locked tidal
reaches bear a modest local traffic to many a remote inland district,
calling up memories of savours nautical beside the grass-grown quays of
Pembroke and 'Ha'rfordwest.'

Well might Imogen marvel why Nature should have singled out 'this same
blessed Milford' for such a priceless endowment, exclaiming:

  'Tell me how Wales was made so happy as
  To inherit such a Haven.'

The quaint author of 'Polyolbion' no less enthusiastically remarks:

  'So highly Milford is in every mouth renown'd,
  Noe Haven hath aught good, that in her is not found;'

while lastly, not to be outdone, George Owen, the old Pembrokeshire
chronicler, declares his beloved 'Myllford Havon' to be the'most
famouse Porte of Christendome.'

Ever since those legendary days when St. Patrick sailed for the Emerald
Isle upon the traditional millstone, this incomparable haven has
continued to be a favourite point of departure for the opposite shores
of Ireland; and several historical personages appear at intervals in the
annals of local events. Hence, for example, Henry II. sailed away upon
his conquest of old Erin; while in the Fourth Henry's reign a large body
of French troops disembarked upon these shores, to co-operate in the
wars of 'the irregular and wild Glendower.' Yet another famous
individual, ycleped Henry ap Edmund ap Owain ap Meredydd ap Tydwr,
better known as Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, landed at Milford Haven
in the year of grace 1485, to set forth upon the historical campaign
which won for him a crown on Bosworth field. Here, again, the ubiquitous
Oliver Cromwell embarked with an army of some 15,000 men, to carry his
victorious arms against the rebellious Irish; and hence, in these piping
times of peace, the mail-boats sail at frequent intervals to the
seaports of the Emerald Isle.

Penetrating thus deeply into the country, one crooked arm of the great
estuary 'creketh in' beneath the stately ruins of Carew Castle, in such
wise as to partially 'peninsulate' a remote but interesting portion of
South Pembrokeshire, which is still further isolated by the low range of
the Ridgeway, between Pembroke and Tenby. This little district contains
within its limited compass a wonderful variety of ruined castles,
ancient priories, quaint old parish churches and curious, fortified
dwelling-houses of the English settlers.

Nestling in the more sheltered hollows, or clinging limpet-like to the
storm-swept uplands, these characteristic structures arouse the
wayfarer's interest as he paces the short, crisp turf rendered sweet by
the driven sea-spray. Occasionally he will set his course by some
prominent church steeple, which at the same time affords a landmark to
the passing mariner as he sails around the wild and iron-bound headlands
of the southern coast.

Throughout the length and breadth of Pembrokeshire, the constant
recurrence of camps, cromlechs, hut-circles and other prehistoric
remains, points to the existence of an extremely ancient people, whose
origin is involved in the mists of unrecorded antiquity. These primaeval
monuments, seemingly old as the bleak hills they crown, suggest many an
insoluble conundrum to the curious visitor, who, gazing in wonder upon
their weather-beaten yet indestructible masses, disposes of the archaic
enigma as best he may by exclaiming: 'There were giants in those days!'

Coming down to the comparative _terra-firma_ of historic times, we find,
at the period of the Roman invasion, a Celtic race called the Demetae
dwelling in the district of which our county forms a portion. The
masters of the world appear to have pushed their way to the western
seaboard, where, according to tradition, they established their colony
of Menapia beneath the shelter of the headland known to Ptolemy as
Octopitarum; connecting it, according to their custom, by the roadway of
Via Julia with their base at Muridunum, or Carmarthen; while the
probably still older road, called Via Flandrica, or Fordd Fleming,
afforded a route across the mountains to the north.

Taking another lengthy stride across the intervening centuries, we may
trace the footsteps of the Norman invaders. Under the leadership of
Arnulph de Montgomery, they overran these newly-conquered lands, and
established themselves in those great strongholds of Pembroke,
Manorbere, Carew, Haverfordwest and Roch, whose dismantled walls still
dominate the surrounding country.

The wild Welsh proving inconveniently restive, that astute monarch Henry
I. imported a colony of sturdy Flemings to assist in keeping order upon
these distant march-lands; an event which exerted a marked influence
upon the course of local history. These thrifty settlers received
further aid from the Second Henry, and settled down to cultivate the
land wrested from the Celtic peasantry.

The natives, however, still continued to behave in a very unneighbourly
fashion,'making,' as we are told,'verie sharpe warres upon the
Flemings, sometimes with gaine, sometimes with losse;' so that they
were obliged to build for themselves those strong, fortified
dwelling-houses whose massive remains are so frequently met with
throughout the southern parts of the county.

In course of time the language of the immigrants superseded the ancient
tongue of Celtic Dyfed, and thus that portion of the district comprised
within the hundreds of Castlemartin and Rhos acquired the title of
'Little England beyond Wales,' whose Saxon place-names, such as
Johnston, Williamston, Hodgeston and the like, contrast so strikingly
with the universal Llan-this, that and the other, still common
throughout the upper country.

We have already had occasion to refer to Henry of Richmond's famous
visit to Milford, and to recall the expeditions of Cromwell and other
prominent personages from that noble haven to Ireland. The French
'invasion' of Wales in 1797 will be referred to in dealing with the
scenes of that notorious exploit: and in the course of our narrative we
shall touch upon various other historical incidents connected with the
nooks and corners of this fascinating county.

Owing to the prevalence of westerly breezes from the open Atlantic,
tempered by the beneficent influence of the Gulf Stream, Pembrokeshire
is blessed with a mild and remarkably equable climate. Hence the air is
at the same time both dry and bracing, particularly in the southern
portion of the county, where, in sheltered situations, the myrtle,
fuchsia and syringa flourish _al fresco_ all the year round.

Nothing can exceed the luxuriance of the vegetation in the spacious
demesne of Stackpole Court, where, sheltered from the strong winter
gales that sweep across these gorse-clad uplands, the oak, ash, beech,
ilex, sycamore and other forest trees, 'crowd into a shade' beside the
lily-strewn meres whose placid waters mirror their spreading branches.
This favoured region boasts, we believe, an average temperature of about
50 deg. Fahr., and it has been shown by careful analysis that, taking one
season with another, there is little to choose between the average
climates of Madeira and of Tenby.

These favourable conditions do not, of course, obtain to the same degree
in the north; where rough winds occasionally sweep down from the
Precelly Mountains, driving keenly across the open country and retarding
the vegetation. Nevertheless there are sheltered nooks around Newport
and Fishguard where the eucalyptus, mulberry and fig-tree attain a
goodly stature.

Sun-warmed spots such as these form, however, mere oases of verdure
amidst the rolling, wind-swept uplands of the interior; where the
hardier trees alone rear their stunted forms above the rough stone walls
which serve in place of hedgerows, or cluster around a group of solid,
one-storied cottages, whose low walls, deep roofs and vast, bulging
chimneys are overspread with one universal coating of dazzling
whitewash; 'to keep out the weather,' as the country-folk will tell
you--very clean, no doubt, but the reverse of picturesque in appearance.

The native style of building is well exhibited in the ancient parish
churches, more especially in those towards the southern seaboard of the
county, which are distinguished by a rugged simplicity entirely in
keeping with the stern and sombre character of the surrounding
landscape. Of architecture there is but little; such beauty as the
edifice can boast having to be sought in the picturesque grouping of its
rambling gables beneath the tall, square, fortress-like tower; and the
quaint, unlooked-for character of the cavernous interior.

The nave is frequently covered with a rude stone barrel vault, from
which low vaulted transepts open out like cells on either hand, whence
vast'squints,' forming narrow passages, branch diagonally into the
chancel. Low arches, sometimes pointed, sometimes of a curious flat
shape and almost invariably devoid of mouldings, open into the aisles,
which are lighted by lancet windows of simple but good design; while
sometimes a roomy porch or handsome sedilia adds a touch of distinction
to an otherwise homely interior.

We may instance, as typical examples of these sacred edifices, the
churches of Gumfreston, St. Florence, Castlemartin and, _par
excellence_, of Manorbere. A handsomer development may be studied in the
parish churches of Tenby, Carew and Hodgeston, and the fine old priory
church of Monkton. The graceful thirteenth-century pillars and arches of
St. Mary's, Haverfordwest, are unusually ornate for this locality, and
are only excelled by the varied and beautiful architecture of St. Davids
Cathedral itself. There can be little doubt that the hard, intractable
nature of the local limestone is in some degree responsible for the
primitive characteristics of many of these churches; for, despite their
archaic appearance, they are rarely older than early thirteenth-century
times.

Beautiful in their decay are the time-honoured ruins of the episcopal
palaces of Lamphey and St. Davids; whose mellow-toned walls with their
singularly graceful arcades mark the constructive genius of Bishop
Gower, the Wykeham of the West.

The numerous mediaeval castles, whose ruined walls and ivy-mantled towers
so frequently meet the eye, form a striking feature in many a
picturesque scene; from the rugged bastions which cluster beneath the
mighty keep of Pembroke, and the many-windowed front of lordly Carew, to
the lonely peel-tower of Roch and the remote and isolated block-houses
which keep ward around the coast.

Having thus obtained a general _coup d'oeil_ of our field of action,
we will proceed to explore at our leisure the nooks and corners of this
pleasant countryside; so, with this purpose in view, we now make our way
to that highly-favoured watering-place, the 'King's town of Tenby.'

[Illustration: BECALMED OFF TENBY.]

One clear, calm evening in May of this drouthy year of grace 1893, we
emerge dusty and sun-baked from the tropical recesses of the 'tunnel
express,' alight at Tenby Station, and wend our way through the streets
of that clean little town to seaside quarters overlooking a
picturesque bay, where some fishing-craft lie quietly at anchor off the
harbour mouth. Towards sundown a miniature fleet of trawlers sweeps
gracefully landwards around the Castle Hill, looking for all the world
like a flight of brilliant butterflies; their russet sails glowing in
the warm light of the sun's declining rays with every hue from gold to
ruddy purple, recalling memories of gorgeous scenes on far-away Venetian
lagoons. Hailing from many a haven between Milford and strong-savoured
Brixham, these handy little vessels ply their calling around our
south-western shores; pushing their ventures, when opportunity serves,
to the North Sea fishing-grounds, and even to the remoter shores of
Scotland. The visitor curious in such matters soon learns to distinguish
between the well-found Brixham trawler and the handy sloop from Milford,
certain cabalistic letters painted upon the parti- sails
denoting the port where, according to custom, each boat is respectively
registered.

[Illustration: TENBY.]

Tenby town is in many respects happy in what a local historian quaintly
terms its 'approximation.' Turning its back upon the quarter whence blow
the strongest gales, and sheltered by the high ground of the Ridgeway,
that part of the town most frequented by visitors faces south by east
across the land-locked waters of Carmarthen Bay.

Hence a pleasant view is obtained of the opposite coast of Gower and the
more distant highlands of North Devon; while Caldey Island lies like a
breakwater against the waves of the open Channel. As shrewd old Leland
observes: 'Tinbigh Town standith on a main Rokke, but not very by; and
the Severn Se so gulfith in about hit that, at the ful Se, almost the
third part of the Toun is inclosid with water.'

Tenby can boast a fair sprinkling of good hotels and lodging-houses. The
town is made further attractive as a place of residence by a
well-appointed club, a circulating library, excellent public baths and a
small museum of local interest. Last, but by no means least amongst its
attractions, Nature has provided a broad expanse of firm, dry sands,
much appreciated by children and bathers at holiday times.

With a fair train-service upon the railway, good carriages and boats for
hire, and steamboats calling at intervals, Tenby affords a convenient
centre whence to explore the remoter recesses of South Pembrokeshire,
for few and far between are the resting-places for the wayfarer in that
rather inaccessible region.

Dynbych-y-Pysgod--the Little Town of Fish--appears to have been a place
of some importance from very early times. By the middle of the twelfth
century we find the town in the hands of the Flemish soldiery; and
subsequently disasters came thick and threefold upon the devoted
inhabitants. During the reign of Henry II., Maelgwyn ap Rhys, a person
who is euphemistically described as 'of civil behaviour and honesty in
all his actions,' ascertaining that many of the townsfolk were absent at
the foreign wars, made a sudden onslaught, set fire to the ill-fated
town, and burnt it to the ground. Less than a century later the place
was again taken and destroyed by Llewelyn ap Grufydd: and after a
further respite of about 200 years, the notorious Owain Glyndwr appeared
before the walls, laid siege to, and made himself master of the little
Western seaport.

Notwithstanding these misfortunes, 'the King's town of Tenby' henceforth
grew and prospered unmolested. In 1402 Tenby was made a corporate town;
and by the middle of the fifteenth century it had already become a
centre of considerable trade and enterprise, encompassed by strong stone