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Penfro
111 Main Street, Pembroke, SA71 4DB, Pembrokeshire, West Wales,
UK. Tel : 01646 682753
Penfro is the Welsh word for Pembroke
Local Events 2009
Events held in the town and area. Make the most of your visit, take the time to check this page.
Followed by chat about some interesting places to visit (my personal views).
The Pembroke Festival includes many events, in 2008 one such was the best dressed window competition, using a maritime theme.
On the spur of the moment, I decided to enter and invited a friends teenage daughter to be a mermaid for a few hours.
I dressed JayJay up, using maritime antiques borrowed from a friend and lots of imagination and things of my own, I set up a window at Penfro.
The Penfro Grotto including Davy Jones's Locker, treasure chest of pearls and jewels- and won GOLD!!! About 50 people came to visit despite the rain.
In 2009, unfortunately, with masses of building work going on, I was unable to give this event the attention it deserves, I do try to join in and make an effort for the Pembroke Festival, many people give a lot of time and work hard to provide special events for us. However, I did join in the Wheels of Time theme and made a giant clock hanging from a frame and each 5 minute point of the clock face had a mode of transport using wheels, train, car, tractor, wheelchair, skateboard and so forth. Didn't win this time, but was 'Commended'. 2010, I hope to do better.
There is a town guide and No 111 is listed as the finest example of Georgian buildings. You can get a copy of the town guide at the Tourist Office and do the town walk (Penfro is noted in the Guide, No 18), this is an ancient town with historic sites.
Most shops are family owned which makes a lovely
change in these
days of ghastly malls where one could be in any town if one had to guess just by looking at the shops.
Several nice gift shops, good butcher, lovely food shop and many others.
Nice big shop by the Mill Pond selling interesting items for your home and with a nice little cafe. There are masses of pubs, some even worth a visit. Even a nighclub which might not be.
And one of the fish and chip shops boasts an owner aged about 94, still cooking and serving at lunchtime.
The Mill Ponds are havens for otters and swans and wildlife in general.
Pembroke Castle is very interesting, it has the largest keep in the UK. A mere £3.50 entrance, please pay the extra for a guided tour and you will find the experience much improved. Great views on clear days.
Henry VII, first Tudor King, was born here.
The townspeople voted to support King Charles by a narrow margin
so Cromwell set seige to the town and starved them out.
Pembroke town is ancient with many buildings and the town wall surviving.
Nelson and Lady Hamilton lived here - and hubby across the road!
Country Market at the Town Hall every Thursday 9am-1pm (what used to be called the Womens Institute Market).
Farmers Market at the Town Hall alternate Saturdays 9am to 1pm. Freshly cooked foods, vegetables, eggs, plants, flowers and some crafts. Well worth a visit. Support it and keep that carbon footprint small and eat fresh, fresh food. For dates:
http://www.pembroke21c.org/farmersmarket.html
Fresh meats, vegetables, flowers and plants also fresh food from the Country Market and wonderful fresh eggs.Well worth a visit and great for a low carbon footprint.
PEMBROKESHIRE EVENTS AND PLACES OF INTEREST - A PERSONAL VIEW.
Pembrokshire Classic Car Club Annual Show, Sunday 7th June, 2009
Scolton Manor Nr Haverfordwest (On the B4329 CARDIGAN Road)
Admission: Adults £4 Children £2
Open to all types of cars,vans,commercials ETC
www.pembsclassiccarclub.co.uk
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Pembrokeshire Fish Week (the 10th annual) is held from 27th June to 5th July 2009. This is a celebration of all things fish, but includes events showcasing the wonderful beaches, fishing and coastline around Pembrokeshire with it's impressive maritime history.
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The Pembroke Festival will be held from Thursday 2nd July to Sunday 5th July.
There are many interesting events in various venues around the town.
Larger gatherings are usually held at the Castle or the Town Hall.
My favourite is the Medieval Banquet when held.
http://www.pembrokefestival.org.uk/
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The Pembrokeshire County Show is the second largest show of it's kind in Wales.
18, 19 & 20th August, 2009 at Withybush Showground.
Website: http://www.pembrokeshirecountyshow.co.uk
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Tenby Folk Festival 28th - 30th August (Bank Holiday weekend)
Tenby Arts Festival, 19th to 26th September, 2009.
Website: http://www.tenbyartsfest.co.uk/
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Pembroke Street Fair, 8th -10th October 2009, an ancient charter allows the fair
to be laid out at the top of Main Street, literally outside Penfro!
Somewhat noisy until 11p.m. on the Saturday, but usually over by 10.30pm other nights.
Set up from noon Wednesday, Fair held Thursday and Friday evening
and Saturday lunchtime and evening. Parking impossible nearby, you will need to park on the Commons.
(Penfro is usually open.)
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Pembrokshire is exceptionally beautiful.
There are very many places of interest and it is impossible to tell you everything here.
Thus I can only touch on some places I feel are worth a visit with emphasis on those near to Pembroke town.
But please note: Pembrokeshire is the only UK county with a Coastal National Park....
if you like walking and views and nature and sea and beaches
you need to ditch the car to walk to, you will find heaven here.
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Manorbier is a pretty spot with a small castle and some of my favourite walks.
Two Continents collided here and you will notice that many of the rocks
have been pushed up so that the layers are vertical rather than horizontal.
Freshfields is a little farm on the way back to the main road,
you will smell the wonderful strawberries from 100 paces when they are in season.
Nearby, the Bosherston Lilly Lakes on the Stackpole Estate,
are crammed with wildlife and profoundly beautiful, you can take lovely walks lasting about 30 minutes to a whole day.
Stackpole House was demolished in the 1960's when death duties
took their toll on the family fortune. The Cawdr family also owned Penfro, it was their townhouse and next door, The Anchorage was also owned by the Stackpole Estate.
One walk takes you to beautiful Broadhaven beach. There is a lovely tea shop in the village of Bosherston (next to the lily ponds car park).
There are several beaches each with the same name, which I find confusing!
(Another Broadhaven and Little Haven can be found the
other side of Haverfordwest. Also lovely.)
Visit the tiny chapel at St Govans and wonder why anyone would
build a tiny chapel in this freezing place let alone how!!
After you have wondered and wandered, stop for tea at the nearby tea rooms in Bosherston.
The same elderly lady has owned the tea rooms
for years and the cakes are home made. Pretty good pub food at the St Govans Arms next door.
Freshwater East is a pretty beach, but Freshwater West is better.
Surfing is good here.
Angle beach is small but nice with some lovely walks nearby.
Barafundle is the locals favourite beach and supposedly one of the top 10
beaches in the UK. The water is pure and the beach clean. As at many
of the beaches, take your own food and drink along.
Pembrokeshire has many unspoilt beaches and not an ice-cream van or
burger joint in site.
Park at Stackpole Quay, haul yourself up the steps and walk along the cliffs to
Barafundle for breathtaking views.
You will deserve an ice-cream from the tea rooms at the Quay on your return.
BRING YOUR RUBBISH HOME WITH YOU.
Haverfordwest is the main town and home of the County Council.
The head of which earns more than our Prime Minister.
Dale is great for boats, visits to Skomer Island highly recommended.
The Puffin is Pembrokeshire's emblem and thousands roost here.
One of my favourite places is the Marlows. A superb sight at sunset.
Solva is a nice spot with a good restaurant, the Old Pharmacy.
St David's is tiny despite having a Cathedral and a Bishops Palace.
Just under an hour from here.
An excellent restaurant within the Cathedral, fresh fresh food.
Nearby at Porthgain, The Shed is the place to eat fish, it has won many awards, not just local, but countrywide.
The best place in Pembrokeshire for food (I think) is The Stone Hall, hard to find. Not cheap, but not outrageous, helpful French owner, female chef, every mouthful a delight. Quiet, imitmate, worth finding.
Narberth is an unexpected little town, superb shops in the middle of nowhere! Good food, Queen's Hall, (a small theatre with live shows) and plenty of good places to spend lots of money on art, jewellery and clothes.
(I have yet to find a good young mens clothing shop, perhaps someone can tell me.)
Though originally from Wales, I seemed to be the only person in the UK who had never visited Tenby!
A pretty 'arty' town with some nice shops and two large beaches, but usually busy and closed to traffic in high season.
Visit Caldy Island, buy some of the Cistercian monks perfume or chocolates.
There are more artists in Pembrokeshire than Cornwall apparently.
Paintings, beautiful pottery, superb wood carvings and blown glass items are to be found.
Look out for the many summer exhibitions in towns and villages.
Cinema, I love movies, but finding the non blockbuster is difficult in Pembrokeshire. However, an original cinema is at Tenby, tatty but I love it, one screen - take it or leave it. Haverfordwest has two screens, there is a two screen place at Cardigan. The best theatre in the area which also has a cinema, art gallery, bar and cafe is the Torch at Milford. What great facilities in such a small town.
Ask someone else and they will give you a different list of places to visit.
So do ask at the Pembroke Tourist Office on the Commons, staffed by very helpful and charming people.
01646 622388.