Milford Haven
Encyclopedia
Milford Haven is a town and community
in Pembrokeshire
, Wales
. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port
since the Middle Ages
. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name. Designed to a grid pattern, it was originally intended by the founder, Sir William Hamilton
, to be a whaling
centre, though by 1797 it was developing as a Royal Navy
dockyard which it remained until the dockyard was transferred to Pembroke in 1814. It then became a commercial dock, with the focus moving in the 1960s, after the construction of an oil refinery built by the Esso
Company, to logistics for fuel oil and liquid gas. By 2010 the town's port has become the fourth largest in the United Kingdom
in terms of tonnage, and plays an important role in the United Kingdom's energy sector with several oil refineries and one of the biggest LNG terminals in the world.
Milford Haven is the second largest settlement in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 12,830; while with 13,086 people its community boundaries make it the most populous in the county. As a Welsh local government community
, Milford Haven takes in the town of Milford Haven itself and some of the surrounding villages, including Hakin
, Hubberston
, Liddeston
, and Steynton
.
The natural harbour of the Waterway was known as a safe port, and was exploited for several historical military operations throughout the second millennium. Campaigns conducted from the Haven included part of Henry II's
Invasion of Ireland in 1171 and Cromwell's own attack on Ireland in 1649; while forces which have disembarked at the point include Jean II de Rieux's 1405 reinforcement of the Glyndŵr Rising
and in 1485 Henry VII
landed at the Milford Haven Waterway before marching on England.
Cymbeline
as "blessed Milford". It was used as the base for several military operations, such as Henry II's
Invasion of Ireland in 1171, and Oliver Cromwell
's own invasion of Ireland
in 1649; while forces which have disembarked at the point include Jean II de Rieux's 1405 reinforcement of the Glyndŵr Rising
and Henry VII's
1485 landing at the waterway before marching on England. By the late 18th century the two local creeks were being used to load and unload goods, and surrounding settlements were established, including the medieval chapel, and Summer Hill Farm, the only man-made structures on the future site of Milford.
Sir William Hamilton
, the town's founder, had acquired the land from his wife, Catherine Barlow of Slebech
. His nephew, the Hon. Charles Francis Greville
, invited seven Quaker families from Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard
to settle in the new town and develop a whaling fleet, and then, in 1797, he persuaded the Navy Board to create a dockyard for building warships. Seven royal vessels were eventually launched from the dockyard, including HMS Surprise
and HMS Milford
. The town was built on a grid pattern, thought to have been to the design of Jean Louise Barrallier, who was in charge of building the harbour.
A church was consecrated in October 1808 and dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria
in the underdeveloped eastern side of the town, it remained a chapel of ease until 1891 when Milford became a parish, until that time competing with St Peter and St Cewydd in Steynton
. By the turn of the century, a mail coach
was operating between London and Hubberston
, and in 1800 the short lived Milford and Pembrokeshire Bank
was established by Thomas Phillips, operating from a branch in the town. It collapsed in 1810.
In 1814 the Royal Dockyard was transferred to Pembroke Dock
; though, when Robert Fulke Greville
inherited the estate in 1824, a commercial dock was started which became the home of a successful fishing industry. By 1849, the district of Hakin
was described as a considerable centre of boat building, and by 1906, Milford had become the sixth largest fishing port in the UK, and its population rose. The Pembrokeshire Herald claimed in 1912 that "the fish trade is Milford's sole industry....the population of the town has doubled by means of it".
In 1863, the railway network came to Milford, linking it to the Haverfordwest
line and beyond. In 1866, work was completed on an additional extension which provided access to the docks and mining depot on the eastern side of the town. Between 1875 and 1886 The Great Eastern
was a permanent fixture at Milford Docks, remaining there for lengthy repairs. Her arrival into the docks was heralded as an example of the scale of vessel which the town could expect to attract.
In the late 1850s, work began on a network of forts on both sides of the Milford Haven estuary, as a direct result of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom
. They were designed with the intention of defending the United Kingdom against French invasion, although were never used for this purpose. Notable examples in the town were Fort Hubberstone
in Gelliswick and Scoveston Fort
to the north east of the town.
By 1901, the town's population had reached 5,102, and by 1931 had doubled to 10,104. The early 20th century saw a period of increased urbanization of the area; in the period from the First World War to 1937, 312 council houses were built, and public services, such as electricity supplies and sewerage, were completed. The steep gradient of the Rath was at this time constructed, and in 1939 a Town Hall was opened on Hamilton Terrace, at that time possessing an inbuilt fire station. 1939 also saw the opening of an outdoor swimming pool on the Rath.
During the Second World War Milford Haven was chosen as a base for allied American troops, and roughly 1,000 American military personnel were housed in the town at this time. They manned an amphibious base which included a hospital built in Hakin and a docks complex at Newton Noyes. The base had a complement of 71 officers and 902 enlisted men, and played a role in preparations for D Day. Despite its strategic importance as the home of a large fish market, a mines depot, a flax
factory, and housing numerous military personnel, Milford escaped serious damage from German bombings during the Second World War. In the summer of 1941 a bomb fell in fields near Priory Road, and later that year, a bomb damaged a house in Brooke Avenue. In neither instance were there casualties.
In 1960, the Esso
Company completed work on an oil refinery near the town, which opened despite environmental objections. This was followed by similar developments by many other chief oil companies in a 10 year period. In 1974, Milford could boast an oil trade of 58,554,000 tons, which was three times the combined trade of all the other ports of Wales. In 1996 the area hit the headlines internationally when the oil tanker Sea Empress
ran aground, causing a substantial oil spill. By the early 1980s, the Esso refinery
was the second largest in the UK.
Melr, meaning sandbank, and fjordr, meaning inlet, developing into "Milford"; then later the term "Haven" from the Germanic
word Haven for port or harbour was added. The town was named Milford after the waterway, and, as with the waterway, Haven was added later - in this case around 1868, when the railway terminus was built. The Welsh for Milford Haven, "Aberdaugleddau", refers to the estuary which is the meeting point of the "White River Cleddau" (Afon Cleddau Wen) and the "Black River Cleddau" (Afon Cleddau Ddu). The term "Aber" is associated with the 'pouring out' of a river, hence the description of the two rivers meeting and forming an estuary. Cleddau itself may make reference to the action of a weapon or tool cutting through the land.
, which is a ria
or drowned valley. This is a landscape of low-lying wooded shorelines, creek
s and mudflat
s. There has been a great deal of loss and degradation of local mudflat habitat as a result of industrial and commercial development - one study indicated a 45 per cent loss in Hubberston Pill.
The town itself has a historic late 18th and 19th centuries core based on a grid pattern, located between Hubberston Pill and Castle Pill and extending inland for 500 metres (1,640.4 ft). Milford Haven's 20th century expansion took in several other settlements. Hakin
and Hubberston
are older, and situated to the west of the main town. Steynton
is a medieval village to the north, no longer separated due to the expansion of houses. Lower Priory, with the remains of a very early religious priory
, is located in a natural valley near the village of Thornton
.
. This is comparable to the South Coast of England, and the highest annual average level of sunshine in Wales.
The nearest official MetOffice weather station is at Milford Haven Conservancy Board.
The community
of Milford Haven covers an area of 1573 hectares (6.1 sq mi) and includes the Milford Central, East, Hakin, Hubberston, North and West wards
. The community has its own town council
. The Lord Mayor is Councillor Councilor David Friend and the Deputy Lord Mayor is Councillor G Woodham .
The six wards comprising Milford Haven community each elect one councillor to Pembrokeshire County Council
. Milford Haven was part of the historic county of Pembrokeshire, abolished in 1974, which was reconstituted as a unitary authority
when local government in Wales was reorganised in 1996. Between 1974 and 1996, Milford Haven was part of the Preseli Pembrokeshire
district of Dyfed
.
Milford Haven is part of the Preseli Pembrokeshire National Assembly for Wales constituency
and UK Parliamentary constituency
. The local Assembly Member is Paul Davies
of the Conservative Party
and the local Member of Parliament
is Stephen Crabb
, also a Conservative.
Milford Haven has experienced a history of boom and slump in shipbuilding
, fishing
, as a railhead
and an ocean terminal. At the height of the fishing boom, it was said that "every day was a pay day". In 1921, 674 people were identified as working in the fishing industry, the leading occupation in the town, followed by transport and communication with 600 employees. The development of the oil industry also helped to boost the town's fortunes. However, the slumps have been just as severe, the area being scheduled as 'distressed' in the inter-war period. During the 1980s and 1990s, the unemployment rate at times topped 30%, and the major industry of oil refining created no more than 2,000 direct or indirect jobs. Into the new millennium, its fortunes have risen, as can be witnessed in the activity surrounding the LNG terminal, and the new building works which accompanied it and its connection to the controversial South Wales Gas Pipeline
. In February 2003, Pembrokeshire Council granted outline planning permission to Petroplus
for an LNG storage depot at Waterston, and in March 2004, an additional site was approved at South Hook
for ExxonMobil
. International tourism has also increased, with the arrival of transatlantic liners and the revenue they introduce to the town. The Port Authority is aiming to double the number of cruise ships it handles in the period to 2011. The waterway transports 25% of Britain's requirement for motor fuel, and the port handled 53 million tonnes of shipping in 2008, making it the largest port in Wales, and the sixth largest in the UK. There are two major commercial centres: Charles Street in the historic town centre, and the Havens Head Retail Park
located at the foot of the docks area.
Post-war Milford Haven was not considered a promising location for tourism: a 1964 study commissioned by the District Council highlighted the lack of nearby beaches, proximity of the town to heavy industrialization, and a shortage of tourist facilities such as restaurants and hotels. However, in the 1980s, a series of steps to beautify certain parts of the town commenced. The outdoor swimming pool, which had remained disused for some years, was transformed into a watergarden and officially opened in 1990 by Margaret Thatcher
. In 1991, the Tall Ships Race came to Milford, and this coincided with an overhaul of the docks. Subsequently, it was rebranded as a marina, and a number of attractions including cafes, restaurants and retail outlets sprung up. A Tourist Information Centre is located near the retail park and the local museum, in the old custom house, focuses on the maritime history of the area.
By the 1950s, the fishing industry was in decline, and unemployment in the area had reached 11%. There had been a housing boom however in the years following Second World War. The District Council took advantage of recently lifted restrictions, and built over 1,000 new homes to accommodate the rising population. A new wave of hope however arrived with the prospect of a booming oil industry. The industry however was not labour intensive, and did not provide huge labour opportunities for locals, in the 1970s employing only 2,000 workers." The nature of large construction projects meant that workers were attracted from outside the local area, and the decline of the fishing industry was to a certain extent masked. However, this employment was not permanent. On completing the construction of construction projects such as the Esso refinery and the Cleddau Bridge
, those who decided to relocate to the town were faced with what the Preseli District Council called in 1977 "the area's serious unemployment problem".
Milford Haven is not ethnically diverse, with 99.2% of people identifying themselves as white.
, which has predominately used English for many centuries. Although it is the most westerly point of the country and the part of the county furthest from the English border, a relatively small proportion of the community knows the Welsh language
. In the 2001 census, of the 1,872 residents polled in the Milford Central ward, only 7% (140) claimed that they can speak, read and write the language, in contrast to the Pembrokeshire county as a whole where roughly 18% of the population are able to read, write and speak Welsh, while in the neighbouring county of Carmarthenshire around 40% of people express a similar level of fluency in Welsh. Local disconnection from the Welsh language was highlighted in November 2008, when Milford Haven Town Council unsuccessfully demanded the right to opt out of a scheme in which official documents had to be translated into Welsh if requested; the council was allegedly one of about 10 that opposed having to make such translations.
The initial phase of construction from the late 18th century is located in the area central to the town, the three parallel streets of Hamilton Terrace, Charles Street And Robert Street. Three-storey Georgian
domestic and commercial properties are set along the northern side of the main road through the town, and overlook the harbour and waterway.
By the late 19th century, the land directly above this central area was being developed. To house the growing population, rows of terrace houses were built, which slowly encompassed the area north up to Marble Hall Road, and east to Pill, examples including Shakespeare Avenue and Starbuck Road. The Great North Road took a northerly route which sliced this new district in two. By the turn of the 20th century, there was a recognized need to provide accommodation to poorer families. As a result, much former agricultural land was bought, and new Council Housing was built. These were frequently in large estates of houses, such as Howarth Close, Haven Drive and The Glebelands Estate. They transformed previously rural areas into an urban landscape, and considerably increased Milford's density. Council estates were built throughout the 20th century, one of the most recent and largest examples being The Mount Estate, which has been the scene of a number of anti-social incidents.
Attractions in the town include Fort Hubberstone
, built in 1863 to defend the Haven as part of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom
. Located in Gelliswick bay, it occupies a prominent position to the west of the town overlooking the Haven. Owned by Milford Haven Port Authority, the site is not currently open to the public, and has been the scene of non-fatal injuries to trespassers. In 2011 it was named as the fifth most endangered archaeological site in the UK by British Archaeology Magazine.
The ruins of an observatory
, originally intended to be part of "The College of King George the Third founded at Milford", can be found in Hakin. Construction of the building was abandoned in 1809. The town museum
, located centrally in the docks area, is housed in the town's oldest building, the Custom House which dates back to 1797. Designed by Swansea
architect, Jernigan, it was built for the storage of whale oil awaiting shipment for sale in London.
The Rath is a landscaped street on high ground, with panoramic views of the Haven. The land was used in the 18th century as a gun battery
, and its eastern edge was the site of the Royalist
fort constructed by Charles I
. In the 1930s it became the home of an outdoor swimming pool, which was converted into a water gardens in 1990. Milford Haven Waterway is the natural harbour on which the town stands and from which the town takes its name.
The Torch Theatre
, opened in 1977 and designed by local architect Monty Minter, is one of only three repertory
theatres in Wales, and possesses its own independent theatre company. Annual events in the town include the Pembrokeshire Fish Week in June, and the carnival in July. Milford Haven library, recently relocated to Havens Head Retail Park offers a full lending service and internet access. Milford Haven museum, located in the marina, houses a collection which focusses on the maritime history of the town.
The Milford & West Wales Mercury weekly newspaper covers the Milford Haven and West Pembrokeshire area. It was founded in 1992 and following a merger of its editorial team with that of the Western Telegraph
, its local office was closed in 2008. The town is also home to several charities, including PATH
and Gwalia
.
Milford Haven is twinned
with Romilly-sur-Seine
, France and Uman
, Ukraine
.
and association football clubs are found in the town, and nautical activities centre around the marina and Pembrokeshire Yacht Club, which is located in Gelliswick and dates back to 1923. There is a golf club on the outskirts of the town, which was founded in 1913
Milford Marina, the site of the former working docks, was rebranded in 1991 and offers retail facilities, the town museum and entertainment. The Marina itself houses 360 berths for private boats.
Primary and pre school education in Milford Haven is served by six state infant and primary schools and St Francis, a Roman Catholic primary school. Milford Haven town is served by junior, Infant, and nursery schools. Hakin pupils can attend Hakin Junior School, Hakin Infants and Nursery, and the voluntarily controlled Hubberston Church in Wales VC Nursery and Primary. Secondary education is provided by Milford Haven School
, a large comprehensive school with an enrollment of around 1200 pupils including the 6th form.
The MITEC School of Boatbuilding & Marine Engineering, a branch of Pembrokeshire College
located in Milford Docks, offers courses in boatbuilding and marine engineering.
Milford Haven identifies itself as almost exclusively Christian. The earliest known religious building in the area was the Benedictine priory which was dissolved during Henry VIII's reign. Other early buildings included the Catholic St. Thomas a Becket chapel, a later 'beacon church', built around the 12th century which fell into disrepair but was reconsecrated in the 20th century.
The first religious building raised after Milford Haven was founded was St. Katharine and St. Peter, an Anglican
church, it is considered to be the town's parish church due to its central position within the town and the fact that it was built by Charles Francis Greville the founder of Milford Haven. Other Anglican buildings include St. David's in Hubberston, St. Mary's (1927) and the Church of the Holy Spirit (1971) in Hakin and St. Peter and St. Cewydd in Steynton
. St. David's is a Norman church and is believed to be the oldest building in Milford to be in regular use. St. Mary's was built in 1927 largely by funds from the local residents of Hakin.
In 2000, the church of St. Claires in Hakin closed, leaving one Roman Catholic church in Milford Haven, St. Francis of Assisi on Priory Road. Baptists congregate at North Road Baptist Church which is one of the older religious buildings of the community, built in 1878. Near the waterfront in Milford Haven is the Quakers Friends Meeting House, built in 1811 by the original Quaker whalers who were central to the early growth of the town. Quakers travel from distances around Pembroke to worship at the Friends House. Members of United Reformed Church
worship at Priory Road Methodist Church (1902), Hakin Point, and the URC Tabernacle.
The main road to the town is the A4076 from Haverfordwest
, which connects with the A40
. The town centre's road system is based on a grid pattern. The route to Hakin and the western side of the town is along the A4076 via Victoria Bridge over the docks.
Bus routes passing through the town are operated by independent companies and Pembrokeshire County Council
subsidies. Services include a town circular, Haverfordwest
, Pembroke Dock
and St Davids. National Express
operate services to both London and Birmingham
via Steynton
.
The first links to a railway to Milford Haven came through the completion of the South Wales Railway
in 1856. Brunel
had a vision of connecting London to New York via a railway through Wales and then to a commuter port. The initial plan was to terminate the line at Fishguard
and to create a ferry service to Ireland, but after a failure to complete Irish rail links the terminus was changed to New Milford, (Neyland)
, which was completed in April 1856. The first rail link direct to Milford Haven was completed in 1863, which was originally conceived as a plan to create an impressive Milford to Manchester
railway. The trains using the line were operated by Great Western Railway
who had part funded the original railway. Today the town in served by Milford Haven railway station
. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Arriva Trains Wales
on the West Wales Line
. It is the terminus, and from here, trains depart every two hours to Manchester Piccadilly via Carmarthen
, Swansea
, and Cardiff Central
.
One of the earliest notable figures from the Milford Haven area is Howell Davis
, a pirate born in 1680. He was shot dead in 1719 on the Portuguese island of Príncipe
. Other famous residents connected as seafarers include Isaac Davis
, a former seaman who was engaged in the fur trade between the Pacific Northwest and China. He became an advisor to Kamehameha I
, and helped form the Kingdom of Hawaii
. Milford Haven has produced, or attracted, several notable artists including Arthur Symons
, poet, critic, and an art editor of The Savoy
magazine, who was born in the town in 1865, and Charles Norris
, topographical artist, and author of A Historical Account of Tenby, who lived in Milford Haven from 1800 to 1810.
Performing artists from Milford Haven include Helen Watts
, a contralto who studied at the Royal Academy of Music
and awarded the CBE
in 1978. From the acting world, George Winter, who appeared in the films Scum
, All Quiet on the Western Front
, and TV dramas Knights of God
and Merlin Of the Crystal Cave
was also born in the town. More recent artists include Sarah Waters
, author of Tipping the Velvet
, Affinity
and Fingersmith
who although born in Neyland
, attended MIlford Haven Grammar School
. Tailor and fashion designer Timothy Everest
began his professional career working as a sales assistant at a branch of Hepworths
in the town. Sporting figures include Robert Hughes
, who in 2005 won the Wales National Darts Championship.
Milford Haven is also connected to notable military figures, such as Charles George Gordon
, a British Army
officer and administrator, remembered for his campaigns in China and northern Africa. During a two-year stay in Pembroke, he prepared plans for fortifications of Milford Haven.
Of those born in the town, Hubert William Lewis
was awarded the Victoria Cross
for acts of bravery during the First World War. W.G. "Gugs" Gwilliam was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
for acts of bravery whilst serving on board the HMS Exeter
during the Battle of the River Plate
. Other residents include Robert Fulke Greville
and his uncle Charles Francis Greville
, who improved and expanded Milford Haven as a more commercial and modern settlement; and John Zephaniah Holwell
, a surgeon employed by the English East India Company, and survivor of the Black Hole of Calcutta
, who owned "Castle Hall" in the 1770s.
Milford Haven is also the birthplace of serial killer John Cooper
, who in 2011 was convicted of murdering siblings Richard and Helen Thomas at their Scoveston home near Steynton
in 1985, and Peter and Gwenda Dixon on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
near Little Haven in 1989. He was additionally convicted of the rape of a teenager and assault of four others in woodland near the town's Mount Estate in 1996.
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name. Designed to a grid pattern, it was originally intended by the founder, Sir William Hamilton
William Hamilton (diplomat)
Sir William Hamilton KB, PC, FRS was a Scottish diplomat, antiquarian, archaeologist and vulcanologist. After a short period as a Member of Parliament, he served as British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples from 1764 to 1800...
, to be a whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
centre, though by 1797 it was developing as a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
dockyard which it remained until the dockyard was transferred to Pembroke in 1814. It then became a commercial dock, with the focus moving in the 1960s, after the construction of an oil refinery built by the Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
Company, to logistics for fuel oil and liquid gas. By 2010 the town's port has become the fourth largest in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in terms of tonnage, and plays an important role in the United Kingdom's energy sector with several oil refineries and one of the biggest LNG terminals in the world.
Milford Haven is the second largest settlement in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 12,830; while with 13,086 people its community boundaries make it the most populous in the county. As a Welsh local government community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
, Milford Haven takes in the town of Milford Haven itself and some of the surrounding villages, including Hakin
Hakin
Hakin is a small coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is often considered a district of the latter. It has a population of 2,313 inhabitants as...
, Hubberston
Hubberston
Hubberston is a coastal village in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is a district of the community of Milford Haven. It is adjacent to the village of Hakin. It...
, Liddeston
Liddeston
Liddeston is a small coastal village in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the Milford North ward of the community of Milford Haven in the historical hundred of Roose...
, and Steynton
Steynton
Steynton or Stainton was a parish in the hundred of Rhôs and is now an area of Milford Haven located in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It houses c.3,000 inhabitants.-History:...
.
The natural harbour of the Waterway was known as a safe port, and was exploited for several historical military operations throughout the second millennium. Campaigns conducted from the Haven included part of Henry II's
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
Invasion of Ireland in 1171 and Cromwell's own attack on Ireland in 1649; while forces which have disembarked at the point include Jean II de Rieux's 1405 reinforcement of the Glyndŵr Rising
Glyndwr Rising
The Glyndŵr Rising, Welsh Revolt or Last War of Independence was an uprising of the Welsh, led by Owain Glyndŵr, against England. It was the last major manifestation of a Welsh independence movement before the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.- The Fall of...
and in 1485 Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
landed at the Milford Haven Waterway before marching on England.
History
The town of Milford Haven was founded in 1793, after Sir William Hamilton obtained an Act of Parliament in 1790 to establish the port at Milford, and takes its name from the natural harbour of Milford Haven Waterway which was used for several hundred years as a staging point on sea journeys to Ireland, and as a shelter by Vikings. It was known as a safe port, and is mentioned in Shakespeare'sWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
Cymbeline
Cymbeline
Cymbeline , also known as Cymbeline, King of Britain or The Tragedy of Cymbeline, is a play by William Shakespeare, based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobelinus. Although listed as a tragedy in the First Folio, modern critics often classify Cymbeline as a romance...
as "blessed Milford". It was used as the base for several military operations, such as Henry II's
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
Invasion of Ireland in 1171, and Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's own invasion of Ireland
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland refers to the conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell landed in Ireland with his New Model Army on behalf of England's Rump Parliament in 1649...
in 1649; while forces which have disembarked at the point include Jean II de Rieux's 1405 reinforcement of the Glyndŵr Rising
Glyndwr Rising
The Glyndŵr Rising, Welsh Revolt or Last War of Independence was an uprising of the Welsh, led by Owain Glyndŵr, against England. It was the last major manifestation of a Welsh independence movement before the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.- The Fall of...
and Henry VII's
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
1485 landing at the waterway before marching on England. By the late 18th century the two local creeks were being used to load and unload goods, and surrounding settlements were established, including the medieval chapel, and Summer Hill Farm, the only man-made structures on the future site of Milford.
William Hamilton (diplomat)
Sir William Hamilton KB, PC, FRS was a Scottish diplomat, antiquarian, archaeologist and vulcanologist. After a short period as a Member of Parliament, he served as British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples from 1764 to 1800...
, the town's founder, had acquired the land from his wife, Catherine Barlow of Slebech
Slebech
Slebech is a parish in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The community of Slebech is a sparsely populated on the northern shore of the Eastern River Cleddau. It shares common land boundaries with the Communities of Uzmaston and Boulston, Wiston and Llawhaden and mainly consists of farmland and woodland...
. His nephew, the Hon. Charles Francis Greville
Charles Francis Greville
Charles Francis Greville PC, FRS , was a British antiquarian, collector and politician.-Background:Greville was the second son of Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick, by Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of Lord Archibald Hamilton...
, invited seven Quaker families from Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
to settle in the new town and develop a whaling fleet, and then, in 1797, he persuaded the Navy Board to create a dockyard for building warships. Seven royal vessels were eventually launched from the dockyard, including HMS Surprise
HMS Surprise (1812)
HMS Surprise was a 38-gun frigate of the Leda class of the Royal Navy, although all these fifth-rate frigates were re-classed as 46-gun under the general re-rating of February 1817, from when carronades on the quarter deck and forecastle were included in the rating...
and HMS Milford
HMS Milford (1809)
HMS Milford was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 1 April 1809 at Milford Haven. She was designed by Jean-Louis Barrallier as a large class 74, and was the only ship built to her draught...
. The town was built on a grid pattern, thought to have been to the design of Jean Louise Barrallier, who was in charge of building the harbour.
A church was consecrated in October 1808 and dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria
Catherine of Alexandria
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius...
in the underdeveloped eastern side of the town, it remained a chapel of ease until 1891 when Milford became a parish, until that time competing with St Peter and St Cewydd in Steynton
Steynton
Steynton or Stainton was a parish in the hundred of Rhôs and is now an area of Milford Haven located in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It houses c.3,000 inhabitants.-History:...
. By the turn of the century, a mail coach
Mail coach
In Great Britain, the mail coach or post coach was a horse-drawn carriage that carried mail deliveries, from 1784. In Ireland, the first mail coach began service from Dublin in 1789. The coach was drawn by four horses and had seating for four passengers inside. Further passengers were later allowed...
was operating between London and Hubberston
Hubberston
Hubberston is a coastal village in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is a district of the community of Milford Haven. It is adjacent to the village of Hakin. It...
, and in 1800 the short lived Milford and Pembrokeshire Bank
Milford and Pembrokeshire Bank
This Bank was probably founded in 1802. It was established in Pembrokeshire, with a branch at Milford and was one of the banks founded as a result of the Bank of England stopping cash payments in 1797.-History:...
was established by Thomas Phillips, operating from a branch in the town. It collapsed in 1810.
In 1814 the Royal Dockyard was transferred to Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...
; though, when Robert Fulke Greville
Robert Fulke Greville (landowner)
Robert Fulke Greville was a politician, soldier and landowner of the early Victorian era, the son of Regency courtier Robert Fulke Greville....
inherited the estate in 1824, a commercial dock was started which became the home of a successful fishing industry. By 1849, the district of Hakin
Hakin
Hakin is a small coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is often considered a district of the latter. It has a population of 2,313 inhabitants as...
was described as a considerable centre of boat building, and by 1906, Milford had become the sixth largest fishing port in the UK, and its population rose. The Pembrokeshire Herald claimed in 1912 that "the fish trade is Milford's sole industry....the population of the town has doubled by means of it".
In 1863, the railway network came to Milford, linking it to the Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
line and beyond. In 1866, work was completed on an additional extension which provided access to the docks and mining depot on the eastern side of the town. Between 1875 and 1886 The Great Eastern
SS Great Eastern
SS Great Eastern was an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall on the River Thames, London. She was by far the largest ship ever built at the time of her 1858 launch, and had the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers around the...
was a permanent fixture at Milford Docks, remaining there for lengthy repairs. Her arrival into the docks was heralded as an example of the scale of vessel which the town could expect to attract.
In the late 1850s, work began on a network of forts on both sides of the Milford Haven estuary, as a direct result of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom
Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom
In 1859 Lord Palmerston instigated the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom because of serious concerns that France might attempt to invade the UK...
. They were designed with the intention of defending the United Kingdom against French invasion, although were never used for this purpose. Notable examples in the town were Fort Hubberstone
Fort Hubberstone
Fort Hubberstone, on the west side of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, is a Grade II* Listed Building which belongs to a series of forts built as part of the inner line of defence of the Haven following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom...
in Gelliswick and Scoveston Fort
Scoveston Fort
Scoveston Fort, on the northern shore of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, is a Grade II Listed Building which belongs to a series of forts built as part of the inner line of defence of the Haven following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom...
to the north east of the town.
By 1901, the town's population had reached 5,102, and by 1931 had doubled to 10,104. The early 20th century saw a period of increased urbanization of the area; in the period from the First World War to 1937, 312 council houses were built, and public services, such as electricity supplies and sewerage, were completed. The steep gradient of the Rath was at this time constructed, and in 1939 a Town Hall was opened on Hamilton Terrace, at that time possessing an inbuilt fire station. 1939 also saw the opening of an outdoor swimming pool on the Rath.
During the Second World War Milford Haven was chosen as a base for allied American troops, and roughly 1,000 American military personnel were housed in the town at this time. They manned an amphibious base which included a hospital built in Hakin and a docks complex at Newton Noyes. The base had a complement of 71 officers and 902 enlisted men, and played a role in preparations for D Day. Despite its strategic importance as the home of a large fish market, a mines depot, a flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
factory, and housing numerous military personnel, Milford escaped serious damage from German bombings during the Second World War. In the summer of 1941 a bomb fell in fields near Priory Road, and later that year, a bomb damaged a house in Brooke Avenue. In neither instance were there casualties.
In 1960, the Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
Company completed work on an oil refinery near the town, which opened despite environmental objections. This was followed by similar developments by many other chief oil companies in a 10 year period. In 1974, Milford could boast an oil trade of 58,554,000 tons, which was three times the combined trade of all the other ports of Wales. In 1996 the area hit the headlines internationally when the oil tanker Sea Empress
Sea Empress
The MV Sea Empress was a single-hull oil tanker that ran aground near the southwest coast of Wales in February 1996. The ensuing oil spill affected a considerable area of nearby coastline.Pembrokeshire was suffering for over a year after the incident...
ran aground, causing a substantial oil spill. By the early 1980s, the Esso refinery
Esso Refinery, Milford Haven
The Esso Refinery at Milford Haven was an oil refinery situated on the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales. Construction started in 1957 and the refinery was opened in 1960 by Duke of Edinburgh. Construction cost £18million and the refinery had the capacity to process 4.5million tons of crude oil a...
was the second largest in the UK.
Toponymy
Milford Haven is an Anglicization of an old Scandinavian name "Melrfjordr" that was first applied to the waterway - the Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Melr, meaning sandbank, and fjordr, meaning inlet, developing into "Milford"; then later the term "Haven" from the Germanic
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
word Haven for port or harbour was added. The town was named Milford after the waterway, and, as with the waterway, Haven was added later - in this case around 1868, when the railway terminus was built. The Welsh for Milford Haven, "Aberdaugleddau", refers to the estuary which is the meeting point of the "White River Cleddau" (Afon Cleddau Wen) and the "Black River Cleddau" (Afon Cleddau Ddu). The term "Aber" is associated with the 'pouring out' of a river, hence the description of the two rivers meeting and forming an estuary. Cleddau itself may make reference to the action of a weapon or tool cutting through the land.
Geography
The town of Milford Haven lies on the north bank of the Milford Haven waterwayMilford Haven (harbour)
Milford Haven Waterway is a natural harbour in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The Haven is a ria or drowned valley flooded at the end of the last Ice Age. formed by the Pembroke River and the Daugleddau estuary, and winds west to the sea...
, which is a ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
or drowned valley. This is a landscape of low-lying wooded shorelines, creek
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s and mudflat
Mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s. There has been a great deal of loss and degradation of local mudflat habitat as a result of industrial and commercial development - one study indicated a 45 per cent loss in Hubberston Pill.
The town itself has a historic late 18th and 19th centuries core based on a grid pattern, located between Hubberston Pill and Castle Pill and extending inland for 500 metres (1,640.4 ft). Milford Haven's 20th century expansion took in several other settlements. Hakin
Hakin
Hakin is a small coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is often considered a district of the latter. It has a population of 2,313 inhabitants as...
and Hubberston
Hubberston
Hubberston is a coastal village in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is a district of the community of Milford Haven. It is adjacent to the village of Hakin. It...
are older, and situated to the west of the main town. Steynton
Steynton
Steynton or Stainton was a parish in the hundred of Rhôs and is now an area of Milford Haven located in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It houses c.3,000 inhabitants.-History:...
is a medieval village to the north, no longer separated due to the expansion of houses. Lower Priory, with the remains of a very early religious priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
, is located in a natural valley near the village of Thornton
Thornton, Pembrokeshire
Thornton is a small village in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is located approximately 1 mile outside of Milford Haven. It is mainly residential in nature...
.
Climate
Milford Haven enjoys a mild climate. Its proximity to the coast contributes to wet winters, but it enjoys a generous amount of sunshine with around 1,800 hours of sunshine a year being recorded for the nearby village of DaleDale, Pembrokeshire
Dale is a small village and community in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, located on the Dale Peninsula which forms the northern side of the entrance to Milford Haven estuary. The village has 205 inhabitants according to the 2001 census.-History:...
. This is comparable to the South Coast of England, and the highest annual average level of sunshine in Wales.
The nearest official MetOffice weather station is at Milford Haven Conservancy Board.
Governance
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
of Milford Haven covers an area of 1573 hectares (6.1 sq mi) and includes the Milford Central, East, Hakin, Hubberston, North and West wards
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
. The community has its own town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
. The Lord Mayor is Councillor Councilor David Friend and the Deputy Lord Mayor is Councillor G Woodham .
The six wards comprising Milford Haven community each elect one councillor to Pembrokeshire County Council
Pembrokeshire County Council
Pembrokeshire County Council is the governing body for Pembrokeshire, one of the Principal Areas of Wales.-Political makeup:Elections take place every four years. The last election was 1 May 2008.- Current composition :- Historic results :...
. Milford Haven was part of the historic county of Pembrokeshire, abolished in 1974, which was reconstituted as a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
when local government in Wales was reorganised in 1996. Between 1974 and 1996, Milford Haven was part of the Preseli Pembrokeshire
Preseli Pembrokeshire
Preseli Pembrokeshire was one of six local government districts of Dyfed in West Wales from 1974 to 1996. Until 1987 the name of the district was Preseli...
district of Dyfed
Dyfed
Dyfed is a preserved county of Wales. It was created on 1 April 1974 under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972, and covered approximately the same geographic extent as the ancient Principality of Deheubarth, although excluding the Gower Peninsula and the area west of the River Tawe...
.
Milford Haven is part of the Preseli Pembrokeshire National Assembly for Wales constituency
Preseli Pembrokeshire (Assembly constituency)
Preseli Pembrokeshire is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
and UK Parliamentary constituency
Preseli Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Preseli Pembrokeshire is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. The local Assembly Member is Paul Davies
Paul Davies (Welsh politician)
Paul Windsor Davies is a Welsh Conservative politician. He was elected in May 2007 to the National Assembly for Wales representing the constituency of Preseli Pembrokeshire, gaining the seat from Labour. He was re-elected in May 2011. -Background:...
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and the local Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Stephen Crabb
Stephen Crabb
Stephen Crabb is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Preseli Pembrokeshire.-Background:Crabb was born in Inverness and brought up in council housing in Pembrokeshire...
, also a Conservative.
Economy
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
, fishing
Fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
, as a railhead
Railhead
The word railhead is a railway term with two distinct meanings, depending upon its context.Sometimes, particularly in the context of modern freight terminals, the word is used to denote a terminus of a railway line, especially if the line is not yet finished, or if the terminus interfaces with...
and an ocean terminal. At the height of the fishing boom, it was said that "every day was a pay day". In 1921, 674 people were identified as working in the fishing industry, the leading occupation in the town, followed by transport and communication with 600 employees. The development of the oil industry also helped to boost the town's fortunes. However, the slumps have been just as severe, the area being scheduled as 'distressed' in the inter-war period. During the 1980s and 1990s, the unemployment rate at times topped 30%, and the major industry of oil refining created no more than 2,000 direct or indirect jobs. Into the new millennium, its fortunes have risen, as can be witnessed in the activity surrounding the LNG terminal, and the new building works which accompanied it and its connection to the controversial South Wales Gas Pipeline
South Wales Gas Pipeline
The South Wales Gas Pipeline is the UK’s largest high-pressure gas pipeline. The pipeline passing through Wales was built for the National Grid and links Dragon and South Hook liquid natural gas terminals at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire with the national gas network at Tirley,...
. In February 2003, Pembrokeshire Council granted outline planning permission to Petroplus
Petroplus
Petroplus Holdings AG is Europe's largest independent oil refiner.-History:When the company first formed in 1993 it was known as Petroplus International N.V. being based in the Netherlands. In 1997, it acquired the Antwerp N.V. Refinery from the Daewoo Group. In August 1998, it was listed on the...
for an LNG storage depot at Waterston, and in March 2004, an additional site was approved at South Hook
South Hook LNG terminal
South Hook LNG terminal is an LNG regasification terminal near Milford Haven and is the largest LNG terminal in Europe. Together with the smaller Dragon LNG terminal it can handle up to 25% of the UK's gas requirement. The first tanker docked on 20 March 2009....
for ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
. International tourism has also increased, with the arrival of transatlantic liners and the revenue they introduce to the town. The Port Authority is aiming to double the number of cruise ships it handles in the period to 2011. The waterway transports 25% of Britain's requirement for motor fuel, and the port handled 53 million tonnes of shipping in 2008, making it the largest port in Wales, and the sixth largest in the UK. There are two major commercial centres: Charles Street in the historic town centre, and the Havens Head Retail Park
Havens Head Retail Park
Havens Head Retail Park is a retail park located in Milford Haven, Wales.Opened in 1998, it is situated centrally between Milford town and Hakin in Hubberston Pill, adjacent to the railway station. It occupies a previously industrial area, the site of a former Jewson branch. There are nine...
located at the foot of the docks area.
Post-war Milford Haven was not considered a promising location for tourism: a 1964 study commissioned by the District Council highlighted the lack of nearby beaches, proximity of the town to heavy industrialization, and a shortage of tourist facilities such as restaurants and hotels. However, in the 1980s, a series of steps to beautify certain parts of the town commenced. The outdoor swimming pool, which had remained disused for some years, was transformed into a watergarden and officially opened in 1990 by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. In 1991, the Tall Ships Race came to Milford, and this coincided with an overhaul of the docks. Subsequently, it was rebranded as a marina, and a number of attractions including cafes, restaurants and retail outlets sprung up. A Tourist Information Centre is located near the retail park and the local museum, in the old custom house, focuses on the maritime history of the area.
Demographics
| Population growth Population growth Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement.... in Milford Haven since 1841 |
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 2001 |
| Population | 2,377 | 2,837 | 3,007 | 2,836 | 3,812 | 4,070 | 5,102 | 6,399 | 7,772 | 10,104 | 11,710 | 12,802 | 13,760 | 13,096 |
| Source: Vision of Britain & Field Studies Journal |
||||||||||||||
By the 1950s, the fishing industry was in decline, and unemployment in the area had reached 11%. There had been a housing boom however in the years following Second World War. The District Council took advantage of recently lifted restrictions, and built over 1,000 new homes to accommodate the rising population. A new wave of hope however arrived with the prospect of a booming oil industry. The industry however was not labour intensive, and did not provide huge labour opportunities for locals, in the 1970s employing only 2,000 workers." The nature of large construction projects meant that workers were attracted from outside the local area, and the decline of the fishing industry was to a certain extent masked. However, this employment was not permanent. On completing the construction of construction projects such as the Esso refinery and the Cleddau Bridge
Cleddau Bridge
The Cleddau Bridge is a toll bridge on the A477 road that spans the River Cleddau between Neyland and Pembroke Dock, Wales. It was originally called the Milford Haven Bridge, Due to errors in the box girder design it collapsed during construction in 1970 and did not become operational until...
, those who decided to relocate to the town were faced with what the Preseli District Council called in 1977 "the area's serious unemployment problem".
Milford Haven is not ethnically diverse, with 99.2% of people identifying themselves as white.
Welsh language
Milford Haven is located within the geographical and historic area known as Little England Beyond WalesLittle England beyond Wales
Little England beyond Wales is a name applied to an area of southern Pembrokeshire and southwestern Carmarthenshire in Wales, which has been English in language and culture for many centuries despite its remoteness from the English border...
, which has predominately used English for many centuries. Although it is the most westerly point of the country and the part of the county furthest from the English border, a relatively small proportion of the community knows the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. In the 2001 census, of the 1,872 residents polled in the Milford Central ward, only 7% (140) claimed that they can speak, read and write the language, in contrast to the Pembrokeshire county as a whole where roughly 18% of the population are able to read, write and speak Welsh, while in the neighbouring county of Carmarthenshire around 40% of people express a similar level of fluency in Welsh. Local disconnection from the Welsh language was highlighted in November 2008, when Milford Haven Town Council unsuccessfully demanded the right to opt out of a scheme in which official documents had to be translated into Welsh if requested; the council was allegedly one of about 10 that opposed having to make such translations.
Architecture
Architecture in Milford Haven can be divided into roughly three broad periods of building. The number of buildings which pre-date the town's official foundation in 1790 are scarce. These include the Medieval priory, and a 12th century 'beacon chapel'.Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
domestic and commercial properties are set along the northern side of the main road through the town, and overlook the harbour and waterway.
By the late 19th century, the land directly above this central area was being developed. To house the growing population, rows of terrace houses were built, which slowly encompassed the area north up to Marble Hall Road, and east to Pill, examples including Shakespeare Avenue and Starbuck Road. The Great North Road took a northerly route which sliced this new district in two. By the turn of the 20th century, there was a recognized need to provide accommodation to poorer families. As a result, much former agricultural land was bought, and new Council Housing was built. These were frequently in large estates of houses, such as Howarth Close, Haven Drive and The Glebelands Estate. They transformed previously rural areas into an urban landscape, and considerably increased Milford's density. Council estates were built throughout the 20th century, one of the most recent and largest examples being The Mount Estate, which has been the scene of a number of anti-social incidents.
Landmarks
Fort Hubberstone
Fort Hubberstone, on the west side of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, is a Grade II* Listed Building which belongs to a series of forts built as part of the inner line of defence of the Haven following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom...
, built in 1863 to defend the Haven as part of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom
Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom
In 1859 Lord Palmerston instigated the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom because of serious concerns that France might attempt to invade the UK...
. Located in Gelliswick bay, it occupies a prominent position to the west of the town overlooking the Haven. Owned by Milford Haven Port Authority, the site is not currently open to the public, and has been the scene of non-fatal injuries to trespassers. In 2011 it was named as the fifth most endangered archaeological site in the UK by British Archaeology Magazine.
The ruins of an observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
, originally intended to be part of "The College of King George the Third founded at Milford", can be found in Hakin. Construction of the building was abandoned in 1809. The town museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, located centrally in the docks area, is housed in the town's oldest building, the Custom House which dates back to 1797. Designed by Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
architect, Jernigan, it was built for the storage of whale oil awaiting shipment for sale in London.
The Rath is a landscaped street on high ground, with panoramic views of the Haven. The land was used in the 18th century as a gun battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
, and its eastern edge was the site of the Royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
fort constructed by Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. In the 1930s it became the home of an outdoor swimming pool, which was converted into a water gardens in 1990. Milford Haven Waterway is the natural harbour on which the town stands and from which the town takes its name.
Culture and community
Torch Theatre, Milford Haven
The Torch Theatre is a not-for-profit theatre in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, WalesEstablished in 1977, it is one of only three building-based producing theatres in the whole of Wales. The theatre was designed by local architect, Monty Minter. As well as hosting touring productions, The Torch...
, opened in 1977 and designed by local architect Monty Minter, is one of only three repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
theatres in Wales, and possesses its own independent theatre company. Annual events in the town include the Pembrokeshire Fish Week in June, and the carnival in July. Milford Haven library, recently relocated to Havens Head Retail Park offers a full lending service and internet access. Milford Haven museum, located in the marina, houses a collection which focusses on the maritime history of the town.
The Milford & West Wales Mercury weekly newspaper covers the Milford Haven and West Pembrokeshire area. It was founded in 1992 and following a merger of its editorial team with that of the Western Telegraph
Western Telegraph
The Western Telegraph is a Welsh regional newspaper covering Pembrokeshire and bordering Carmarthenshire. Founded as the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph, it is published on a weekly basis and is currently split into three editions...
, its local office was closed in 2008. The town is also home to several charities, including PATH
Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship
Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship . Is a British non-profit Christian faith based charitable organisation, founded in June 2008, that aims to help people who are in a financial crisis...
and Gwalia
Grwp Gwalia Cyf
Grŵp Gwalia Cyf is a housing association in south and mid Wales. Gwalia is the largest housing association in Wales in terms of staff and turnover.Grŵp Gwalia is a hybrid college recognised by the University of Glamorgan....
.
Milford Haven is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Romilly-sur-Seine
Romilly-sur-Seine
Romilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France.-Population:-Twin towns:Romilly-sur-Seine is twinned with: Milford Haven, United Kingdom Gotha, Germany Lüdenscheid, Germany Medicina, Italy Uman, Ukraine-References:*...
, France and Uman
Uman
Uman is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. The city rests on the banks of the Umanka River at around , and serves as the self-governing administrative center of the Umanskyi Raion ....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Sport and leisure
The town possesses a number of venues for sports and leisure. Milford Haven Leisure Centre offers facilities for a variety of sporting activities, including a 25 metre indoor swimming pool, squash and tennis courts, a bowls hall and dance studio. The Thornton Hall, located at Milford Haven School, comprises an indoor sports hall and artificial turf pitch. Local rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and association football clubs are found in the town, and nautical activities centre around the marina and Pembrokeshire Yacht Club, which is located in Gelliswick and dates back to 1923. There is a golf club on the outskirts of the town, which was founded in 1913
Milford Marina, the site of the former working docks, was rebranded in 1991 and offers retail facilities, the town museum and entertainment. The Marina itself houses 360 berths for private boats.
Education
Milford Haven School
Milford Haven School is a comprehensive co-educational school of 1200 students , in Milford Haven, Wales.The site of the school was the former Milford Haven Grammar School, opened in 1967...
, a large comprehensive school with an enrollment of around 1200 pupils including the 6th form.
The MITEC School of Boatbuilding & Marine Engineering, a branch of Pembrokeshire College
Pembrokeshire College
Pembrokeshire College is a further education college with a campus in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in Wales and around 40 outreach centres across the county...
located in Milford Docks, offers courses in boatbuilding and marine engineering.
Places of worship
The first religious building raised after Milford Haven was founded was St. Katharine and St. Peter, an Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church, it is considered to be the town's parish church due to its central position within the town and the fact that it was built by Charles Francis Greville the founder of Milford Haven. Other Anglican buildings include St. David's in Hubberston, St. Mary's (1927) and the Church of the Holy Spirit (1971) in Hakin and St. Peter and St. Cewydd in Steynton
Steynton
Steynton or Stainton was a parish in the hundred of Rhôs and is now an area of Milford Haven located in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It houses c.3,000 inhabitants.-History:...
. St. David's is a Norman church and is believed to be the oldest building in Milford to be in regular use. St. Mary's was built in 1927 largely by funds from the local residents of Hakin.
In 2000, the church of St. Claires in Hakin closed, leaving one Roman Catholic church in Milford Haven, St. Francis of Assisi on Priory Road. Baptists congregate at North Road Baptist Church which is one of the older religious buildings of the community, built in 1878. Near the waterfront in Milford Haven is the Quakers Friends Meeting House, built in 1811 by the original Quaker whalers who were central to the early growth of the town. Quakers travel from distances around Pembroke to worship at the Friends House. Members of United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
worship at Priory Road Methodist Church (1902), Hakin Point, and the URC Tabernacle.
Transport
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
, which connects with the A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
. The town centre's road system is based on a grid pattern. The route to Hakin and the western side of the town is along the A4076 via Victoria Bridge over the docks.
Bus routes passing through the town are operated by independent companies and Pembrokeshire County Council
Pembrokeshire County Council
Pembrokeshire County Council is the governing body for Pembrokeshire, one of the Principal Areas of Wales.-Political makeup:Elections take place every four years. The last election was 1 May 2008.- Current composition :- Historic results :...
subsidies. Services include a town circular, Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
, Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...
and St Davids. National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
operate services to both London and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
via Steynton
Steynton
Steynton or Stainton was a parish in the hundred of Rhôs and is now an area of Milford Haven located in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It houses c.3,000 inhabitants.-History:...
.
The first links to a railway to Milford Haven came through the completion of the South Wales Railway
South Wales Railway
The South Wales Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland in Wales.-History:The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's vision of linking London with...
in 1856. Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
had a vision of connecting London to New York via a railway through Wales and then to a commuter port. The initial plan was to terminate the line at Fishguard
Fishguard
Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....
and to create a ferry service to Ireland, but after a failure to complete Irish rail links the terminus was changed to New Milford, (Neyland)
Neyland railway station
Neyland railway station was on the north bank of the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.-History:The Great Western Railway wished to link their system to Ireland. To do this, they supported the South Wales Railway , which would run from to a port in west Wales; steamships would then...
, which was completed in April 1856. The first rail link direct to Milford Haven was completed in 1863, which was originally conceived as a plan to create an impressive Milford to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
railway. The trains using the line were operated by Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
who had part funded the original railway. Today the town in served by Milford Haven railway station
Milford Haven railway station
Milford Haven railway station serves the town of Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Opened on 7 September 1863, it was originally known as Milford, becoming Old Milford by January 1902, and finally being renamed Milford Haven by April 1910....
. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
on the West Wales Line
West Wales Line
The West Wales Lines are a group of railway lines from Swansea through Carmarthenshire to Pembrokeshire, West Wales...
. It is the terminus, and from here, trains depart every two hours to Manchester Piccadilly via Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, and Cardiff Central
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
.
Notable people
- See :Category:People from Milford Haven
Howell Davis
Captain Howell Davis was a Welsh pirate. His piratical career lasted just 11 months, from July 11, 1718 to June 19, 1719, when he was ambushed and killed. His ships were the Cadogan, Buck, Saint James, and Rover...
, a pirate born in 1680. He was shot dead in 1719 on the Portuguese island of Príncipe
Príncipe
Príncipe is the northern and smaller of the two major islands of the country of São Tomé and Príncipe lying off the west coast of Africa. It has an area of 136 km² and a population of approximately 5,000. The island is a heavily eroded volcano over three million years old, surrounded by other...
. Other famous residents connected as seafarers include Isaac Davis
Isaac Davis (Hawaii)
Isaac Davis was a Welsh advisor to Kamehameha I and helped form the Kingdom of Hawaii. He arrived in Hawaii in 1790 as the sole survivor of the massacre of the crew of The Fair American. He along with John Young became friends and advisors to Kamehameha...
, a former seaman who was engaged in the fur trade between the Pacific Northwest and China. He became an advisor to Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...
, and helped form the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
. Milford Haven has produced, or attracted, several notable artists including Arthur Symons
Arthur Symons
Arthur William Symons , was a British poet, critic and magazine editor.-Life:Born in Milford Haven, Wales, of Cornish parents, Symons was educated privately, spending much of his time in France and Italy...
, poet, critic, and an art editor of The Savoy
The Savoy (periodical)
This article is about the former British magazine, for other uses, see Savoy The Savoy was a magazine of literature, art, and criticism published in 1896 in London. It featured work by authors such as W. B. Yeats, Max Beerbohm, Joseph Conrad, and Aubrey Beardsley. Only eight issues of the magazine...
magazine, who was born in the town in 1865, and Charles Norris
Charles Norris
Charles Norris was an English topographical etcher and writer who is best known for his landscape work of the Welsh countryside, especially the area around Tenby....
, topographical artist, and author of A Historical Account of Tenby, who lived in Milford Haven from 1800 to 1810.
Performing artists from Milford Haven include Helen Watts
Helen Watts
Helen Watts CBE was a Welsh contralto. She was born at Wales in Milford Haven and educated at the School of S. Mary and S. Anne, Abbots Bromley and the Royal Academy of Music. She began her career with the Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, and was a regular broadcaster on the Welsh Home Service...
, a contralto who studied at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
and awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1978. From the acting world, George Winter, who appeared in the films Scum
Scum (film)
Scum is a 1979 British crime drama film directed by Alan Clarke, portraying the brutality of life inside a British borstal. The story was originally made for the BBC's Play for Today strand in 1977, however due to the violence depicted in the film, it was withdrawn from broadcast...
, All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front (1979 film)
All Quiet on the Western Front is a television movie produced by ITC Entertainment, released on November 14, 1979, starring actors Richard Thomas from The Waltons fame as Paul Baumer, and Ernest Borgnine as Katczinsky...
, and TV dramas Knights of God
Knights of God
Knights of God was a British science fiction children's television serial, produced by TVS and first broadcast on ITV in 1987. It was written by Richard Cooper, a writer who had previously worked in both children's and adult television drama...
and Merlin Of the Crystal Cave
The Crystal Cave
The Crystal Cave is a 1970 fantasy novel by Mary Stewart. The first in a quintet of novels covering the Arthurian legend, it is followed by The Hollow Hills.-Plot introduction:...
was also born in the town. More recent artists include Sarah Waters
Sarah Waters
Sarah Waters is a British novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society, such as Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith.-Childhood:Sarah Waters was born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1966....
, author of Tipping the Velvet
Tipping the Velvet
Tipping the Velvet is an historical novel written by Sarah Waters published in 1998. Set in Victorian England during the 1890s, it tells a coming of age story about a young woman named Nan who falls in love with a male impersonator, follows her to London, and finds various ways to support herself...
, Affinity
Affinity (novel)
Affinity is a 1999 historical fiction novel by Sarah Waters. It is the author's second novel, following Tipping the Velvet, and followed by Fingersmith.-Plot summary:...
and Fingersmith
Fingersmith (novel)
Fingersmith is a 2002 Victorian-inspired crime fiction novel by Sarah Waters.-Part one:Sue Trinder, an orphan raised in 'a Fagin-like den of thieves' by her adoptive mother, Mrs. Sucksby, is sent to help Richard 'Gentleman' Rivers seduce a wealthy heiress. Posing as a maid, Sue is to gain the trust...
who although born in Neyland
Neyland
Neyland is a town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Cleddau and the upstream end of the Milford Haven estuary. The nearby Cleddau Bridge crosses the river, linking Neyland to Pembroke Dock.-History:...
, attended MIlford Haven Grammar School
Milford Haven School
Milford Haven School is a comprehensive co-educational school of 1200 students , in Milford Haven, Wales.The site of the school was the former Milford Haven Grammar School, opened in 1967...
. Tailor and fashion designer Timothy Everest
Timothy Everest
Timothy Everest, MBE is a Welsh bespoke tailor and designer who has, according to Vogue, "dressed some of the world's most famous people". Born in Haverfordwest, Wales, he moved to London in his early twenties to work with innovative Savile Row tailor Tommy Nutter, where he learned the art of...
began his professional career working as a sales assistant at a branch of Hepworths
Joseph Hepworth (tailor)
Joseph Hepworth was the clothing manufacturer who founded Joseph Hepworth & Son, a company which grew to become the United Kingdom's largest clothing manufacturer and which is now known as Next plc.-Career:...
in the town. Sporting figures include Robert Hughes
Robert Hughes (darts player)
Robert Hughes is a Welsh darts player who competes in British Darts Organisation events. He uses the nickname Elvis after his favourite singer, Elvis Presley....
, who in 2005 won the Wales National Darts Championship.
Milford Haven is also connected to notable military figures, such as Charles George Gordon
Charles George Gordon
Major-General Charles George Gordon, CB , known as "Chinese" Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British army officer and administrator....
, a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and administrator, remembered for his campaigns in China and northern Africa. During a two-year stay in Pembroke, he prepared plans for fortifications of Milford Haven.
Of those born in the town, Hubert William Lewis
Hubert William Lewis
Hubert William Lewis VC was a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for acts of bravery during the First World War. W.G. "Gugs" Gwilliam was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was, until 1993, a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy at sea...
for acts of bravery whilst serving on board the HMS Exeter
HMS Exeter (68)
HMS Exeter was a York class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that served in World War II. She was laid down on 1 August 1928 at the Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, Devon. She was launched on 18 July 1929 and completed on 27 July 1931...
during the Battle of the River Plate
Battle of the River Plate
The Battle of the River Plate was the first naval battle in the Second World War. The German pocket battleship had been commerce raiding since the start of the war in September 1939...
. Other residents include Robert Fulke Greville
Robert Fulke Greville (landowner)
Robert Fulke Greville was a politician, soldier and landowner of the early Victorian era, the son of Regency courtier Robert Fulke Greville....
and his uncle Charles Francis Greville
Charles Francis Greville
Charles Francis Greville PC, FRS , was a British antiquarian, collector and politician.-Background:Greville was the second son of Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick, by Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of Lord Archibald Hamilton...
, who improved and expanded Milford Haven as a more commercial and modern settlement; and John Zephaniah Holwell
John Zephaniah Holwell
John Zephaniah Holwell FRS was a surgeon, an employee of the English East India Company, and a temporary Governor of Bengal...
, a surgeon employed by the English East India Company, and survivor of the Black Hole of Calcutta
Black Hole of Calcutta
The Black Hole of Calcutta was a small dungeon in the old Fort William, at Calcutta, India, where troops of the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, held British prisoners of war after the capture of the Fort on June 19, 1756....
, who owned "Castle Hall" in the 1770s.
Milford Haven is also the birthplace of serial killer John Cooper
John Cooper (serial killer)
John William Cooper is a serial killer from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. On the 26th May 2011 he was given four life sentences for the 1985 double murder of brother and sister Richard and Helen Thomas, and the 1989 double murder of Peter and Gwenda Dixon...
, who in 2011 was convicted of murdering siblings Richard and Helen Thomas at their Scoveston home near Steynton
Steynton
Steynton or Stainton was a parish in the hundred of Rhôs and is now an area of Milford Haven located in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It houses c.3,000 inhabitants.-History:...
in 1985, and Peter and Gwenda Dixon on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a National Trail in southwest Wales. It was established in 1970, and is 186 miles long, mostly at cliff-top level, with 35,000 feet of ascent and descent. The northern end is at Poppit Sands, near St...
near Little Haven in 1989. He was additionally convicted of the rape of a teenager and assault of four others in woodland near the town's Mount Estate in 1996.
External links
- Milford Haven Town Council
- Milford Haven Town Council Pembrokeshire County Council site
- Milford Haven Port Authority
- Fort Hubberstone
- Milford Haven Mini Site BBC
- Pill Priory - A History
- DigitalDan - Milford Haven