The Tudors’ origin story
The town fortified by the Normans as a strategic foothold in west Wales is still guarded by one of Britain’s finest castles. NATHEN AMIN explores Pembroke, a suitably imposing backdrop for the tale of the first Tudor king
If Stratford-upon-Avon is the home of Shakespeare, and Haworth the heart of Brontë country, then Pembroke – Penfro, to give its Welsh name – has grounds to be celebrated as the birthplace of the Tudor dynasty. Certainly, that’s what road signs into this charming town in west Wales declare.
Today a small town of just 8,000 inhabitants, Pembroke is still dominated by the hulking fortress that has guarded its rocky promontory for over 900 years. Its owners – including the Tudors – have come and gone, but the castle still looms above Mill Pond, a stern reminder of Pembroke’s strategic importance. Military garrisons have, though, been replaced by exuberant children excitedly exploring every nook of this stone labyrinth.
Pembroke first came to prominence after the 1066 conquest of England, when some Norman lords sought to expand their influence west into Wales. Around 1093, powerful magnate Arnulf de Montgomery established a motte-and-bailey citadel here to guard Norman interests from the native Welsh. Most of what remains today was built later by William Marshal, one of England’s great military leaders, who served five kings with distinction across his storied lifetime. Created Earl of Pembroke in 1199, he set to work rebuilding the castle in solid stone.
Pembroke’s Tudor connection began in 1452, when Jasper Tudor – half-brother of Henry VI – was created Earl of Pembroke. On the death of his brother, Edmund, Jasper took in his pregnant 13-year-old sister-in-law, Margaret Beaufort. On 28 January 1457, in a chamber in one of the castle’s towers, she gave birth to a baby boy, Henry. Of course, nobody present could have foreseen that he would one day be crowned king of England.
Henry was nursed at the castle by a local woman, Jane ap Howel; that relationship is commemorated today with a wonderful waxwork exhibition in one of the outer guard towers. Though he left Pembroke at four years old, upon becoming king Henry summoned Jane to court and rewarded his “well-beloved” nurse with money and wine.
During the Civil War, the castle was attacked by both royalists and parliamentarians, with Oliver Cromwell himself leading one assault. Happily, substantial ruins survive, providing ample evidence of its grandeur at the peak of its importance. Once you’re through the forbidding, double-towered gatehouse equipped with murder holes and arrow slits, the outer ward proves more welcoming. Beyond a huge, colourful map of Wales, stretching across the site of the medieval domestic ranges, the visitor’s eye is irresistibly drawn to the Great Keep.
Begun in 1204 by William Marshal, and still largely intact over 800 years later, the tower soars over 20 metres high – a veritable medieval skyscraper. Intrepid visitors scale all five storeys, climbing a spiral stairway to the domed roof. The reward is a commanding panorama across the town and out towards Milford Haven Waterway. After going up, you can also go down: Pembroke Castle was built above the vast limestone Wogan Cavern, accessible to brave explorers who can also peer into the dismal oubliette, or dungeon – a sight to send a shiver down the sturdiest of spines.
Before leaving the castle, take a stroll around the ramparts, marvelling at the sheer scale of one of Wales’ finest medieval monuments. Nearby, pay a visit to the recently erected statues of the two figures most associated with Pembroke, William Marshal and Henry VII. Pembroke Museum, housed in an old courtroom in the Georgian Town Hall, is also worth exploring for its extensive collection of historical artefacts.
A glance into the castle’s oubliette dungeon is enough to send a shiver došn the sturdiest of spines