Wednesday 1st May
Pembroke to Carew Castle via Pembroke Dock
Penultimate day walking and the sun's shining!! At least, I think that's what that bright, shiny yellow thing in the sky is called!! Blue sky, a few clouds and a slight but cool breeze - what a difference a day makes. Denise took some pictures of me next to the statue of Henry VII who was born in the castle.
I was as pleased as punch that I remembered to ask her. So pleased that it wasn't till I the site of my old Grammar School that I remembered to turn on my navigating gizmos!! My OS App fired up straight away but it took my Satmap until I'd arrived in Pembroke Dock itself before it woke up!! Obviously takes after its owner!!
It had rained all yesterday and very heavily overnight so I decided walking the nostalgic coastal path route from Pembroke, across the fields to Pembroke Dock was going to be too muddy. It was a path that I had taken many times in my youth but probably not for over fifty years. Sense prevailed and I climbed up Bush Hill and along the minor lane past the Care Home (which used to be a boys boarding house for sons of farmers wishing to attend my Technical Grammar School) To the south of where my old school had been (it's been demolished) they are building a new Welsh Language Primary School where everything will be taught through the medium of Welsh. To me this is welcome but strange news - Welsh was taught as a foreign language, beside French and German, when I was in school!! Onwards, along the Top Road where they've constructed a foot & cycle path divided from the road by a hedge. In my day we walked back and for along the pavement with a large stone wall to the south, protecting one from the worst of the prevailing weather, and the busy road inches away. I remember, one winter, being almost wiped-out when a lorry skidded on ice and ended up with the nearside edge of its bumper between me & my friend!! Oooooh! We lived dangerously in those days!!
I had hoped to call into the VC Gallery but I was too early so I carried on down memory lane, past where some of my father's family had grown up, past Bethany Baptist Chapel where my father had played the organ as a youth and my Uncle Mauvan's (W G M Jenkins, MM) father had been pastor. And on again to what remains of Defensible Barracks. It is a Grade II* listed, Victorian-era fortification and barracks built between 1841 and 1846 to house the royal dockyard's garrison of Royal Marines and to cover the landward side of the dockyard from an infantry assault. It was probably the last trace bastion fort built in Europe. It's so sad to see the wreck that it is today.
I took a walk on the South Pembrokeshire Golf Course which commands a stunning view of the haven. It also appears to be a much favoured dog-walking area. When the Royal Dockyard was in its heyday the Barrack Hill (the area around the Barracks) was criss-crossed with wide, well used pathways as the workers walked from their homes to the dockyard and back home. Now most of the paths are badly overgrown and the area is no longer grazed. Whilst the golf course is pristine the remainder of the land is returning to scrub. I sat on a pathway step leading down towards the dockyard and carried out an interview with Richard Hatch on BFBS Afternoon (4th in a series of 5 interviews going out at around 1.30 pm)
BFBS Link: https://radio.bfbs.com/catchup/bfbs-afternoon
After the interview I continued down the path to Victoria Road. Once there I was again down my memory lane. Past where my mum's aunt had a school & past where my Dad's sister went to school; past houses owned by members of my mum's family and along Fort Road, past the hospital where I was born.
I came to the first of two Cambridge Gun Towers, the westerly one, that was constructed in 1844 to protect the Royal Dockyard. The other one is in Front Street to the east of the dockyard wall.
In order to reach the 2nd one I had to retrace my steps along Fort Road, past the refurbished historic tower that is all that remains of the original property on this site, Pater Tower.
I wonder if this also was a Peel/Pele Tower like the one at Angle?
Once through the main gates of the old Royal Dockyard I was dismayed to see the neglect that many of these amazing buildings have suffered. The Royal Dockyard (1815 – 1926) built many ships including Royal Yachts. My aunt (Cpl W G Mauvan Jenkins, MM, step-mother) worked as an overseer, keeping female employees 'In order', during WWI. Bossing folk about obviously comes naturally to the females of my family! When the dockyard was closed in 1926 it remained redundant until 1930 when the RAF took it over as a seaplane base. RAF Pembroke Dock (1930 – 1959) became the largest Flying Boat station in the world and at one point during the Second World War it was host to 99 aircraft. I used to watch Sunderland's, from my bedroom window, as they landed and took off.
The Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is located in the Royal Dockyard Chapel which is the only Georgian military chapel which survives in Wales. It tells the history of Pembroke Dock and is an amazing place to visit. They have a massive archive, some of it digital; they are looking forward to receiving the Digital History of my late uncle, Cpl W G Mauvan Jenkins, MM, a local man who was awarded the MM for acts of immense bravery and leadership which, both his daughter, Alison, and I wish we had know about as it might have explained the difficulties that he had in later life.
From the Royal Dockyard Chapel I headed, via the 2nd Gun Tower, towards the only Military Cemetery in Wales, situated near Llanion Barracks. In the 1850s a hutted encampment was established on Llanion Hill. In 1904 this was replaced by four brick-built barrack blocks, designed to house a thousand troops. The new barracks, the first to be constructed with a separate area for cooking and ablutions, was one of the most modern in the country at that time. I'm not sure that the soldiers posted there in the 50's & 60's, including 22 Lt AD Regt that I later served with, felt the barracks were that modern then.
The Military Cemetery is a calm and peaceful small plot. The early graves are for the soldiers and sailors & their families who were obviously stationed here in the mid to late 1800's in the real heyday of Pembroke Dock. There are rows of later graves, in the style that we now recognise as War Graves, to those who lost their lives in WW1. The final rows of War Graves are to the those, including many Australian RAF, who lost their lives in WW2, many flying out of Pembroke Dock in seaplanes.
It was a time of reflection and thanks to those who gave their lives so we could enjoy the freedom we have today.
After a quick stop at Tesco café for a coffee and bacon & egg bap it was onward to Llanion Cemetery on the edge of the town.
The cemetery is where many of my family, including my parents, are laid to rest. I couldn't' pass by without stopping a moment.
From my parent's grave I went on to the grave of my late uncle Mauvan whose ashes, together with those of his wife, are laid on his parent's grave. Not only was he a very brave, un-assuming man, but his wife, aunty Megan was the most amazing, caring, self-less woman, another hero.
From Pembroke Dock I headed for Carew. I decided that, as time was getting on, it would take too long and be too difficult to do a circular route to "bag" Upton Castle.
Instead I went to the nearby village of Cosheston and then along the lane, passing close to the castle, but not close enough to see it & take a photo.
Having got to the village of Milton it wasn't long before I arrived at Carew. Denise had parked up and was ready and waiting to take a photo of me, in the sunshine, in front of the castle.
Today I have covered an amazing 14.5 miles. It is my last day tomorrow and I'll be walking from Carew to Lawrenny, Hopefully for a crab sandwich at the Lawrenny Quay Tearooms. Sadly the weather looks to be going back to be horrid but, who cares - its the final leg in a wonderfully nostalgic journey.
If you would like to support me and my two charities you can click on the link below which will take you to my fundraising page at Give as you Live Donate:
https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/margs-pembrokeshire-100-mile-2024
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