Tenby, Wales - Day 4

Wednesday, June 11

Today was for venturing a little further afield. We decided last night, after consultation with Steve - the owner of Croylands, plus a myriad of brochures, that Pembroke Castle is the best in Pembrokeshire and that it was where we would go today. By Aussie standards nothing is that far away however A & B roads with four digits certainly take longer to navigate but are usually much prettier and this was certainly the case. Some of the little villages we drove through were absolutely gorgeous with their stone-walled houses, white multi-paned window frames, brightly coloured doors, slate roofs and overflowing window boxes and hanging baskets all set against the greenest rolling hills. No wonder Tom Jones sings of the green, green grass of home!

We arrived in Pembroke and could see the Castle. Pembrokeshire, like Cornwall, is quite hilly and the castle was built on the prime position giving a 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside. We chuckled when we saw that the Mill Pond was also devoid of water - obviously tidal. We have not done well when we have arrived at a number of harbours and waterways on this trip.

Pembroke Castle

We bought our tickets and went in to the Castle. It was large and in fairly good condition considering it was built in the 13th century, however the first fortress on the site was built in the 11th century! There were lots of passages, tunnels and narrow stairways to explore and it was also possible to walk around a lot of the castle's walls. In addition there were fascinating exhibitions and recreations of what life would have been like in the castle from the arrival of the Normans to the present day. Info boards covered the politics, scandals, murders, wars and threats against the castle over hundreds of years - it was a real history and geography lesson rolled into one. Many influential Earls of Pembroke had lived there but it's main claim to fame was that Henry VII was born there meaning there was a succession of Tudor kings and Queens who were Welsh - a fact the British never mention in the history books!

Plan of the Castle

After reading several of the info boards we were totally confused by who had fought whom and who controlled what, and all the Welsh names didn't help either! Famous people associated with the castle include King Charles I, Richard II and III, Oliver Cromwell (he besieged the castle and won, then destroyed a lot of it), and others too numerous to mention but suffice to say, all after power and wealth.

The Keep and other buildings within the Castle grounds

We were in danger of cultural overload so took a break for lunch before heading for the castle's keep. This is its main architectural focal point and is about 75 feet tall (5 stories), with the unique feature of a dome covering it at the top. We climbed the nearly 100 steps to the top, holding on tightly to the handrail (up and down) as the staircase was very narrow and a bit slippery. The views from the top were tremendous and highlighted the castle's natural defensive and strategic position (and made the climb worthwhile).

View from the top of the Keep

Inside the Keep looking up to the covered dome

Before leaving Pembroke we did a quick walk around the town and noticed that the Mill Pond had filled with water and attracted lots of bird life including numerous white swans. We then headed back to Tenby for some domestic upkeep, namely visiting a laundromat! Travelling is exciting and a lot of fun but eventually the chores have to be done!

 

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