HAVERFORDWEST, PEMBROKESHIRE. HAVERFORDWEST, the largest and most central town in Pembrokeshire, is beautifully situated on a declivity, facing the east, sloping down to the river Cleddau, which forms one of the branches of Milford Haven, and is thus far navigable for ships of considerable burden. It was once the capital of the possessions of the Flemings, who settled in this part of the country in the time of William Rufus and his son Henry, and was endowed with ample privileges, particularly by Richard II. who ordains that it should remain ever hereafter a free town and county of itself, distinct and separate from that of Pembroke. It is governed by a mayor and twentyfour common-councilmen. The castle, supposed to be built by Gilbert earl of Clare, in the reign of Henry I. Imust have been, before the use of artillery, a place of great strength, being situated on a rocky eminence, overlooking part of the town and the river, and formerly surrounded with an embattled wall, entered by four gates, now destroyed. Very little more at present remains of the castle than the keep, which still exhibits a very highly-finished portion of the building, and, from the elegant pointed windows of the whole eastern side HAVERFORDWEST. facing the estuary, seemed to have included the chapel, the governor's apartments, and other rooms of state, and is now converted into the county jail. In the town are three churches, St. Mary's, St. Thomas's, and St. Martin's, besides the church of Pendergast, in the suburb. St. Mary's, the principal church, is large, and consists of a nave, chancel, and north aisle. The nave is lofty and ceiled with oak, divided into square compartments, very richly carved, and similar to those in the chancel of St. David's: the nave is separated from the side aisle by pointed arches, resting on clustered pillars with sculptured capitals of heads and other figures. A very lofty arch divides the nave from the chancel: both the nave and chancel have an upper tier of windows above the arches, some lancetshaped, and others of a form indicating a later date. The tower of this church, which is of large dimensions, was formerly surmounted with a spire of considerable height, which added much to the appearance of the town, and is introduced in the annexed View, but has since been taken down, in consequence of the damage it received during a violent storm. The church is a rectory, in the gift of the corporation. There is nothing particular in the other churches, except that of St. Martin's, which is the oldest, and supposed to have been built at the same time with the castle. It has a chancel and south aisle, with a small tower and stone spire, and is a vicarage. |