Tenby
Encyclopedia
Tenby is a walled
seaside
town
in Pembrokeshire
, South West Wales
, lying on Carmarthen Bay
.
Notable features of Tenby include 2.5 miles (4 km) of sandy beach
es; the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican
gatehouse
; 15th century St. Mary's Church; the Tudor
Merchant's House (National Trust
); a museum with art gallery; and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
, part of Wales' only coastal National Park. Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island
, while St Catherine's Island
is linked to the town at low tide. The town is served by Tenby railway station
.
and the Irish Sea
, Tenby was a natural settlement point.
The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably of 9th century date, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin
. At this point the settlement was likely a hill fort
, the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence.
After the Norman Conquest, the lands came under the control of the Earls of Pembroke
, who strengthened the easy to defend but hard to attack hill fort on Castle Hill, by building the first stone walled castle. This enabled the town to grow as a seaport. But the need for additional defences was shown, when attacked by Welsh forces in 1187 and again in 1260 by Llewelyn the Great. The town walls were built by William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke
, in the late 13th century.
During the Wars of the Roses
, the future King Henry VII sheltered within Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471. Resultantly, in late medieval times through the 14th and 15th centuries, Tenby was awarded various royal grants which financed the maintenance and improvement of the town walls and the enclosure of Tenby harbour. The harbour during this period became a busy and important national port. Originally based on fish trading, traders sailing along the coast to Bristol
and Ireland
, and further afield to France
, Spain
and Portugal
. Exports from Tenby included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese
seamen landed the first oranges
to be brought to Wales.
, the town declared for Parliament
, and resisted two attempts by Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield
, to capture it for the King, Charles I
. In 1648, the Royalists
captured the castle for ten weeks before surrendering to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell
to the town shortly afterwards. In the following year, 1650, a plague epidemic killed half its population.
Resultantly bereft of trade, the town was abandoned by the merchants, and slid inexorably into decay and ruin. By the end of the eighteenth century, the visiting John Wesley
noted how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."
restricting rich tourists from accessing the spa
resorts in Europe, the need for home-based sea bathing grew. In 1802, locally resident merchant banker and politician Sir William Paxton
bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the town, with the full approval of the town council. Engaging the team who had built his home at Middleton Hall
, engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell
were briefed to ceate a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His baths came into operation in July 1806, and after acquiring the Globe Inn transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths, and livery stables with an adjoining coach house. In 1814 a road built on arches overlooking the harbour was built at Paxton's full expense. However, although he later got passed a Bill in Parliament to enable fresh water to be piped through the town, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area, as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narbeth. He also built Paxton's Tower
, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen. Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeded, and even when victory at the Battle of Trafalgar
reopened Europe, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable. Through both the Georgian
and Victorian era
s Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study. With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot
) accompanied George Henry Lewes
to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
In 1852, The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society
deployed a lifeboat
to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
. This led in 1905 to the building of the first slip-way equipped Lifeboat Station, which was replaced in 2008.
Tenby railway station
was opened by the Pembroke and Tenby Railway as the terminus of the branch from the Pembroke direction in 1863, with the section eastwards to join the main line at Whitland
following three years later. The Palmerstone Fort on St Catherine's Island was begun in 1867 and completed in 1880.
The old town castle walls still survive, as does the Victorian revival architecture which has been retained and maintained, often in a high-light orientated pastel colour scheme, making the town more French Riviera
-esque in nature and feel.
The economy is still highly based around tourism, supported by the provision of a range of craft, art and local goods stores, which has been created by a thriving artist community. Main stream daily shopping is provided by Sainsburys and a Tesco Express.
Most Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Junior school are automaticly enrolled in the Greenhill School, but the parents can enroll them into a different school. Also Tenby Junior School includes a welsh unit for Welsh language
speaking pupils. Most of those pupils go on to Ysgol Preseli, (A Welsh speaking secondry school) in Crymych
.
and Wales, Tenby experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters, and often high winds. Due to its coastal south west position, it is one of the sunnier locations in Wales.
make it a notable seaside resort
. Most shops, pubs and restaurants in Tenby are specifically marketed to tourists
.
accesses the town, giving access to the M4 Motorway
via the A48
some 40 miles (64.4 km) away.
Tenby railway station
is maintained and served by Arriva Trains Wales
, with regular hourly services to Swansea
and onwards to London Paddington via First Great Western
. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International
, with hourly service to Amsterdam Schiphol, accessed via either road or rail.
, a rugby union club which has existed in the town in one form or another since 1876 and is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union
.
Tenby is also home to the Tenby Aces Cycling Club, who have expanded quickly to become the largest club in South Pembrokeshire
.
Tenby golf course
provides a challenging 18 hole links golf challenge.
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
seaside
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
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....
, South West Wales
South West Wales
South West Wales is a region of Wales. A definition consisting of the unitary authorities of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire is used by a number of government agencies and private organisations including:*BBC...
, lying on Carmarthen Bay
Carmarthen Bay
Carmarthen Bay is an inlet of the south Wales coast. The coastline includes famous beaches, including the Pendine Sands and Cefn Sidan sands, and is partially covered by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park....
.
Notable features of Tenby include 2.5 miles (4 km) of sandy beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es; the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican
Barbican
A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from...
gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
; 15th century St. Mary's Church; the Tudor
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
Merchant's House (National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
); a museum with art gallery; and 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...
, part of Wales' only coastal National Park. Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island
Caldey Island
Caldey Island lies south of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales.The island is home to a small village, but is best known for its monastery. Caldey Island is separated from the mainland by the Caldey Sound which is 1 km to 2 km wide between Caldey Island and the coast of Pembrokeshire...
, while St Catherine's Island
St Catherine's Island
St Catherine's Island is a small tidal island linked to Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales, by a beach at low tide. The island is home to a Palmerston fort, constructed to protect Pembroke Dock and completed in 1870. In 1907, the island was sold privately for 500 pounds. St...
is linked to the town at low tide. The town is served by Tenby railway station
Tenby railway station
Tenby railway station serves the town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Arriva Trains Wales, who also manage the station. The only passing loop on the Whitland to Pembroke Dock branch is located at the station and as such east...
.
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of the British Isles, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
, Tenby was a natural settlement point.
The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably of 9th century date, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin
Book of Taliesin
The Book of Taliesin is one of the most famous of Middle Welsh manuscripts, dating from the first half of the 14th century though many of the fifty-six poems it preserves are taken to originate in the 10th century. The manuscript, known as Peniarth MS 2 and kept at the National Library of Wales,...
. At this point the settlement was likely a hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
, the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence.
After the Norman Conquest, the lands came under the control of the Earls of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke is a title created ten times, all in the Peerage of England. It was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, which is the site of Earldom's original seat Pembroke Castle...
, who strengthened the easy to defend but hard to attack hill fort on Castle Hill, by building the first stone walled castle. This enabled the town to grow as a seaport. But the need for additional defences was shown, when attacked by Welsh forces in 1187 and again in 1260 by Llewelyn the Great. The town walls were built by William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke
William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke
William de Valence, 1st Earl of Wexford and 1st Earl of Pembroke , born Guillaume de Lusignan or de Valence, was a French nobleman and Knight, who became important in English politics due to his relationship to Henry III...
, in the late 13th century.
Medieval walled town, trading port
This spurred the landowners to develop extensive city walls, enclosing a large part of the settlement into what is now termed the "old town." Although the actual wooden gates into Tenby no longer exist, the Five Arches at the edge of old town give an insight into what the merchants would have marvelled at as they entered.During the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
, the future King Henry VII sheltered within Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471. Resultantly, in late medieval times through the 14th and 15th centuries, Tenby was awarded various royal grants which financed the maintenance and improvement of the town walls and the enclosure of Tenby harbour. The harbour during this period became a busy and important national port. Originally based on fish trading, traders sailing along the coast to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and further afield to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Exports from Tenby included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
seamen landed the first oranges
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
to be brought to Wales.
Downfall
However, two events caused the town to quickly and permanently decline in importance. Firstly, in the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, the town declared for Parliament
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
, and resisted two attempts by Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield
Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield
Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield PC was an English aristocrat, soldier and courtier.-Life:The eldest son of Sir Charles Gerard, he was a member of an old Lancashire family, his great-grandfather having been Sir Gilbert Gerard of Ince, in that county, one of the most distinguished judges...
, to capture it for the King, 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 1648, the Royalists
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
captured the castle for ten weeks before surrendering to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed 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....
to the town shortly afterwards. In the following year, 1650, a plague epidemic killed half its population.
Resultantly bereft of trade, the town was abandoned by the merchants, and slid inexorably into decay and ruin. By the end of the eighteenth century, the visiting John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
noted how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."
Victorian revival
With the Napoleonic warsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
restricting rich tourists from accessing the spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
resorts in Europe, the need for home-based sea bathing grew. In 1802, locally resident merchant banker and politician Sir William Paxton
William Paxton (businessman)
Sir William Paxton , was a Scottish-born sailor, businessman and later Welsh Member of Parliament for Carmarthen, who helped in the early Victorian age to develop the seaside resort of Tenby.-Early life:...
bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the town, with the full approval of the town council. Engaging the team who had built his home at Middleton Hall
National Botanic Garden of Wales
The National Botanic Garden of Wales is situated near Llanarthney in the Towy Valley, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The garden is both a visitor attraction and a centre for botanical research and conservation, and features the world's largest single-span glasshouse measuring long by wide.NBGW seeks...
, engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell
Samuel Pepys Cockerell
Samuel Pepys Cockerell was an English architect. He was the son of John Cockerell, of Bishop's Hull, Somerset, and the brother of Sir Charles Cockerell, 1st Baronet, for whom he designed the house he is best known for, Sezincote House, Gloucestershire, where the uniquely Orientalizing features...
were briefed to ceate a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His baths came into operation in July 1806, and after acquiring the Globe Inn transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths, and livery stables with an adjoining coach house. In 1814 a road built on arches overlooking the harbour was built at Paxton's full expense. However, although he later got passed a Bill in Parliament to enable fresh water to be piped through the town, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.
Paxton's Tower
Paxton's Tower is a Neo-Gothic folly erected in honour of Lord Nelson. It is situated on a hilltop near Llanarthney in the Towy Valley, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is a visitor attraction that can be combined with a visit to the nearby National Botanic Garden of Wales. Its hilltop location provides...
, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen. Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeded, and even when victory at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
reopened Europe, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable. Through both the Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
and Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
s Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study. With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot
George Eliot
Mary Anne Evans , better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, journalist and translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era...
) accompanied George Henry Lewes
George Henry Lewes
George Henry Lewes was an English philosopher and critic of literature and theatre. He became part of the mid-Victorian ferment of ideas which encouraged discussion of Darwinism, positivism, and religious scepticism...
to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
In 1852, The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society
The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society
-The Shipwrecked Mariners Society:The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society or the Shipwrecked Mariners for short, is a national charity founded in 1839, which operates throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, whose purpose is to provide help to former merchant seamen,...
deployed a lifeboat
Lifeboat
Lifeboat may refer to:* Lifeboat , a small craft aboard a ship to allow for emergency escape* Lifeboat , a boat designed for sea rescues * Airborne lifeboat, an air-dropped boat used to save downed airmen...
to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
. This led in 1905 to the building of the first slip-way equipped Lifeboat Station, which was replaced in 2008.
Tenby railway station
Tenby railway station
Tenby railway station serves the town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Arriva Trains Wales, who also manage the station. The only passing loop on the Whitland to Pembroke Dock branch is located at the station and as such east...
was opened by the Pembroke and Tenby Railway as the terminus of the branch from the Pembroke direction in 1863, with the section eastwards to join the main line at Whitland
Whitland railway station
Whitland railway station serves the town of Whitland in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is located on the main route of the West Wales Line from Swansea. To the west of the station, the lines diverge, with one branch serving Pembroke and the other Milford Haven or Fishguard...
following three years later. The Palmerstone Fort on St Catherine's Island was begun in 1867 and completed in 1880.
Today
Modern Tenby provides many items and activities for both the local resident and out of season tourists to enjoy.The old town castle walls still survive, as does the Victorian revival architecture which has been retained and maintained, often in a high-light orientated pastel colour scheme, making the town more French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
-esque in nature and feel.
The economy is still highly based around tourism, supported by the provision of a range of craft, art and local goods stores, which has been created by a thriving artist community. Main stream daily shopping is provided by Sainsburys and a Tesco Express.
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby Schools Area.- Three primary schools:
- Tenby Infants VC School
- Tenby Juniors Community School
- St. Teilo's RC School
- One secondry school :
- Ysgol Greenhill School
Most Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Junior school are automaticly enrolled in the Greenhill School, but the parents can enroll them into a different school. Also Tenby Junior School includes a welsh unit for 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...
speaking pupils. Most of those pupils go on to Ysgol Preseli, (A Welsh speaking secondry school) in Crymych
Crymych
Crymych is a small village of around 400 inhabitants in the north of Pembrokeshire, Wales. The village developed around the former Crymmych Arms railway station on the now closed line, nicknamed the Cardi Bach , which ran from Whitland to Cardigan.Other than the Crymych Arms public house, which...
.
Climate
As with the rest of the British IslesBritish Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
and Wales, Tenby experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters, and often high winds. Due to its coastal south west position, it is one of the sunnier locations in Wales.
Tourism
Tenby is an exceptionally busy UK holiday resort in the summer. The relatively unspoilt beaches and historic town wallsDefensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
make it a notable seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
. Most shops, pubs and restaurants in Tenby are specifically marketed to tourists
Tourism in Wales
Wales is an emerging tourist destination, with 8,078,900 visitors to National Trust and Welsh Tourist Board destinations in 2002. The industry has been estimated to have an annual turnover of £3.5 billion....
.
Transport
The A478 roadA478 road
The A478 road is a major route in the Welsh counties of Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, connecting Cardigan and Tenby.RouteFrom north to south it runs through:*Cardigan;...
accesses the town, giving access to the M4 Motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
via the A48
A48 road
The A48 is a major trunk road in Great Britain. It runs from the A40 at Highnam west of Gloucester to the A40 at Carmarthen. Before the construction of the M4 motorway and the first Severn Bridge in the mid 1960s it was the principal route into South Wales. For most of its journey through Wales,...
some 40 miles (64.4 km) away.
Tenby railway station
Tenby railway station
Tenby railway station serves the town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Arriva Trains Wales, who also manage the station. The only passing loop on the Whitland to Pembroke Dock branch is located at the station and as such east...
is maintained and served 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...
, with regular hourly services to Swansea
Swansea railway station
Swansea railway station is a railway station that serves Swansea, Wales. The station is one of four in the City and County of Swansea and is the fourth busiest in Wales after Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Newport.-History:...
and onwards to London Paddington via First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International
Cardiff International Airport
Cardiff Airport is an international airport serving Cardiff, and the rest of South, Mid and West Wales. Around 1.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010....
, with hourly service to Amsterdam Schiphol, accessed via either road or rail.
Sport
Tenby is home to Tenby United RFCTenby United RFC
Tenby United Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Tenby in West Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Llanelli Scarlets.-Early history:...
, a rugby union club which has existed in the town in one form or another since 1876 and is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
.
Tenby is also home to the Tenby Aces Cycling Club, who have expanded quickly to become the largest club in South Pembrokeshire
South Pembrokeshire
South Pembrokeshire was one of six local government districts of Dyfed, Wales from 1974 to 1996.It was formed on April 1, 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, from the following parts of the administrative county of Pembrokeshire:...
.
Tenby golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
provides a challenging 18 hole links golf challenge.