The county town of Haverfordwest is rich in historic buildings, cultural heritage and boasts several riverside walks and green areas.
The name derives from the old English for buck or he – goat “haefer”, and the place or “ford” where they crossed the river Cleddau.
Until 1409 it was known as Haverford. Then to avoid confusion with Hereford “west” was added and the name Haverfordwest has been used even since.
In the 1340s Haverfordwest was one of the largest towns in Wales as indicated by the presence of three parish churches. It was prosperous because of cloth production. The fact of the port, markets and fairs as well as it being centrally located resulted in the drawing in of goods from the rest of Pembrokeshire.
Haverfordwest Early History
Probably there was originally an Iron Age Hill Fort on the present castle site, possibly Bronze Age.
The current site of the castle was chosen not just for a marvellously defensive position over the town and Western Cleddau River but also because the existing fortified banks and ditches could be renovated and included in the castle. Unfortunately the castle now obscures all traces of Iron Age… Read More »
Famous People
Haverfordwest has been home to a number of notable people.
SIR JOHN PERROT
Born in 1527 at Haroldston House, the ruin of which is visible on the south side of Freemans Way. He was a great favourite of Queen Elizabeth and a close friend of Edward v1, who gave him his knighthood… Read More »
Georgian Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest was an excellent example of a prosperous Georgian town, complete with cobbled streets, elegant buildings and thriving centres of commerce and social life.
The 1748 copperplate engraving by Samuel and Nathaniel Buck shows the row of large warehouses fronting the river and the surprising range of craft which underlined the town’s status as… Read More »
Historic Buildings
BRIDGES
The town has two fine historical bridges spanning the River Cleddau, the Old Bridge and the New Bridge.
The Old Bridge was gifted, in 1726 by Sir John Philipps of Picton Castle. The Old Bridge was constructed over the ford of Haverfordwest that Henry Tudor crossed, with his army, after landing at Dale in August 1485… Read More »
Town Museum
Situated within the Castle wall and previously the old prison governor’s house is the town museum.It houses exhibitions of art and local history and has artefacts relating to the town’s past. Haverfordwest Town Museum & Haverfordwest Castle… Read More »