Pembroke (Wales)

Pembroke (Welsh: Penfro) is the traditional county town of Pembrokeshire in south-west Wales. However, the administrative centre and de facto county town is Haverfordwest. The town and the county derive their name from that of the cantref, or medieval land division, of Penfro: in Welsh, Pen = "head" or "end", and bro = "region", "country", "land", and so the town's name means essentially "Land's End".

Get in

By car

A477 just over 50 miles from Swansea.

By rail

🌍 Pembroke Station is well connected by local rail line to Swansea and Cardiff.

• Arriva Trains Wales

By bus

Public transport to Pembroke also includes both local and national bus lines.

• National Express
• Arriva Bus Wales

By boat

• Irish Ferries from Rosslare in Ireland arrive at Pembroke Dock, a separate town about 3km to the north of Pembroke.

Get around

A comprehensive network of local bus services run throughout Pembrokeshire as well as to adjoining counties.

See

• 🌍 Pembroke Castle. This castle is a must see for visitors of the area. Situated on the hill overlooking the High St., Pembroke Castle has some breathtaking views of the town. The castle itself is interesting, as towers and walls are intact. It's even the birthplace of King Henry VII, and is depicted in his tower.  
• 🌍 Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, Dockyard Chapel, ☎ [phone]. Flying boat centre 

Do

There is a very interesting town walk, get a free booklet at the Tourist Office on the Commons. Some of the buildings opposite the castle are medieval, one was the town jail. The walk takes at least an hour and takes you round the points of interest including the Mill Pond and the fantastic original town walls. As part of the walk you will see a terrace of 3 Georgian townhouses in Main Street; Penfro (No. 111), The Anchorage, (No. 113) and Tudor House (No. 115). Penfro was built as the town house for a rich local landowner, John Campbell. This is the man who created the wonderful Bosherston Lily Lakes on the Stackpole Estate. This house is one of the most beautiful and authentic houses in Wales, even most of the front windows are original. In the corner stone at the front is one of the first stamp machines, which was discovered when refurbishment took place about 20 years ago. The Conservation Area covers most of the original town and has many very interesting houses and buildings. Hamilton House on Main Street appears to be one, but is in fact two houses. Lady Hamilton lived in one and Nelson in the other and her husband lived across the street.

Buy

Eat

• 🌍 The Watermans Arms, 2 The Green, ☎ [phone]. 

Drink

Sleep

• 🌍 The Lamphey Court Hotel & Spa, Lamphey, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Hotel with 37 letting rooms. New £2m spa and leisure facility. 
• 🌍 Cleddau Bridge Hotel, Essex Road, Pembroke Dock, ☎ [phone]. 

Bed and Breakfast

B&Bs: Pembroke has a variety of accommodation, of which B&Bs are plentiful. However just like elsewhere advance reservations are recommended during the summer months.

• 🌍 Penfro, 111 Main Street, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Offers three beautiful rooms for bed and breakfast. This Georgian Townhouse is Grade II* Listed (one of only 6 Grade II* buildings in the area) and with original wooden panelling, silk lined walls, a magnificent Listed staircase is fantastically authentic. Pevsner, the most respected architectural digest calls Penfro 'the crowning glory of Pembroke's domestic architecture'. Large gardens. Delicious, fresh local food. 

Go next

The ferry to Rosslare in Ireland takes just under 4 hours from Pembroke Dock. St Davids, the smallest city in Britain, and home to the most important cathedral in Wales, is well worth a visit.

Routes through Pembroke

Rosslare ←

W (Ireland)  E (Wales)

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