Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/191

Rh .PEMBROKESHIRE. 179 PEMBURY. adapted for growing barley ; but the quality of land in thn coal district, nenr Landshippinjr, and the slatcy ridges of the Precelly mountains is very inferior. The method of farming has been much improved of late years through the influence of the late Earl Cawdor and other opulent landholders, who have established fanners' clubs and agricultural societies. The chief breed of cattle isJhe black Castlemartins, called from the hundred of thadAiine, which fatten fast, and yield great quan- tities o^milk. The old Castlemartin breed, which was of an iron-grey colour, has now almost totally disap- peared. Several English landlords have of late years introduced large quantities of Hereford and Alderney stock on their farms ; but the Castlemartiu blacks are universally adhered to by the native farmers. Tigs are bred in large quantities ; but generally of a very ugly native type, with long ears covering the eyes, and long thin legs. Many of the old farm buildings and cottages are built entirely of mud ; and in some instances the hedge of the field forms the back wall of a farmhouse.- Pembrokeshire being surrounded on three sides by the sea, and intersected by the great estuary of Milfoid Haven, has few rivers of any size or length. The river Teifi, which forms the N.E. boundary, runs into the Irish Channel, between Cardigan Head and Cardigan Island ; the mouth is blocked by a dangerous bar. The Cleddau, or Cleddy, has two branches, of which the eastern rises in the Precelly mountains; while the western, having its source in the north-western part of the shire, runs past Haverfordwest, from whence it is navigable for small coal sloops and the like, and after forming a junction with the stream of the E. Cleddau, about 5 miles below Haverfordwest, falls into Milford Haven, a little way above Pembroke Dock or Pater. The other rivers are the Nevern, in the N., which empties itself into the bay of Newport ; the Gwain, at Fishguard; and the Solva, flowing into St. Bride's Bay, where it forms a' small port. The stratified rocks to the N. of Haverfordwest are composed of shales, slates, and grit ; while in the vicinity of Pembroke the older rocks are surmounted by the Silurian slates, Old Red sandstone, and carboniferous limestone and coal measures. The whole of the northern surface is traversed by veins of trap, which shows itself in masses at St. David's Head, Hamsay Island, and elsewhere. The carboniferous limestone dips below the millstone grit, and the coal district runs from E. to W., across the centre of the county, gradually narrowing as it approaches St. Bride's Bay. The coal is anthracite, or culm, as it is Cidled by the natives, which being mixed with slime from the sea shore, is made up into oblong balls, and when placed in a wet state on the fire emits no smoke, but a bluish vapour. The southern coast, exposed to the full force of the Atlantic storms there being no land whatever between this part and America presents a truly wild and inhospitable appearance : the carboniferous lime- stone forming precipitous cliffs from 200 to 300 feet high. They are almost everywhere abrupt and full of fractures and contortions. There are frequent funnel-shaped cavities and fissures, to which the sea has access. Of these, the most remarkable is Bosherton Mere, near St. Gowan's Head, the most southern point of Pem- brokeshire. The only hills of any size or importance are the Precelly Mountains, separating Pembrokeshire from Cardiganshire, which are of Lower Silurian slate, and extend about 10 miles in length, from near Fish- guard to the borders of Carmarthenshire. Their highest summit, Cwm Cerwyn, attains an elevation of 1,754 feet above the sea ; while the highest point in the S., Bolton Beacon, is 327 feet. This shire is divided into 7 hundreds Castlemartin, Dewisland, Dungleddy, Kemess, Kil- gerran, Narberth, and Roose, containing 143 parishes, besides parts of 5 others, and 4 extra parochial places, one city St. David's and 175 villages. There are 7 market towns viz. Haverfordwest, the county, assizes and sessions town, Pembroke, Narberth, Mil- ford, Tnnby, Fishguard, and Newport, of which the first threw are heads of Poor-law Unions, and of new County Court and superintendent registry districts. 'OL. m. The county returns three members to Parliament : one for the shire, one for Haverfordwest, St. David's, Fish- guard, and Narberth, and one for Pembroke, Tenby, Milford, and Wiston. It is governed by a lord-lieu- tenant, high-sheriff, and sixty-five magistrates, is in the South Wales circuit, and home military district, and con- stitutes the archdeaconry of St. David's, in that diocese, in the province of Canterbury. There are no manufac- tures of any particular importance in the county. Two- thirds of the population are employed in agricultural pursuits, the rest in the coal mines, or limestone and slate quarries. Of the ancient Roman roads, the Via Julia came by Carmarthen to Ambleston, or Castle Flemish, and St. David's ; and here the Sarn Helen from the N. joined it. The principal common roads are the coach road from London to Pembroke ; the road from Carmar- then to Haverfordwest, St. David's, Fishguard, and Newport, the road from Pembroke to Tenby, and from Tenby northwards through Narberth. There is a tram- way from the coal mines at Kingsmoor to the sea at Saundersfoot. The South Wales railway enters the county near Whitland, and runs past Haverfordwest to Neyland, or Milford Haven, its terminus. A narrow gauge line runs from Pembroke Dock, or Pater, through Pembroke to Tenby, and another line is being made from Tenby to join the South Wales line at Whit- land. Pembrokeshire abounds in interesting speci- mens of antiquity, in the shape of ruined castles, camps, and cromlechs. There are remains of British aud other camps at Rudbaxton, Summerton, Castle Coning, Poyntz, Gawnfawr, and Castell Hafod ; of cromlechs and Druidical stones at Llanstinnan, Trefine, Treslanog, Trehowel, Llechydrybed, and Pentre Evan; of the abbey at St. Dogmaels, the preceptory at Slebech, and the priory at Pill; of episcopal palaces at Llamphey, or Llanfydd, and Llanheidan ; of old castles at Pembroke, Eastington, Carew, Manorbier, Kilgerran, Narberth, Haverfordwest, Amroth, Roche, Newport, Tenby, Wiston, Benton, and Llanhyler. St. Dubritius was born at Fishguard ; Asser, the friend of Alfred at St. David's ; Giraldus do Burri, better known as Giraldus Cambrensis, the famous historian and preacher of the Crusades, at Manorbier ; and the scene of part of Shak- speare's Cymbeline is laid in "a mountainous country near Milford Haven." The chief seats are Stackpole, Earl Cawdor ; Dale Castle, Lloyd Philipps ; Picton, Rev. J. H. A. Philipps ; Orielton, M. A. Sum-in, Esq. ; Williams- ton, J. H. Scourficld, Esq., M.P. ; SJebcch, Baron de Rutzen ; Brownslade, Mirehouse, Esq. ; Boulston, It. T. Acland, Esq. ; Crcsselly, Lady C. Allen ; Lawrenny, G. Lort Phillipps, M.P., and many others. PEMBROKESTOWN, a hmlt. in the par. of Lisma- kill, in the bar. of Middlethird, co. Watcrford, prov. of Munster, Ireland, 5 miles' S.W. of Waterford. The principal residence is Pembrokestown House, and near it are the ruins of Loughdeheeii castle, also a cromlech. PEMBRYN, or PENBRYN, a par. in the hund. of Troedyraur, co. Cardigan, 9 miles from Cardigan, its post town, and 7 N.W. of Newcastle-in-Emlyn. It is situated on Cardigan Bay, and contains the British camps of Castel Nadolig and Castel Pwntan. There is a small bathing village at Traeth Saith. The living is a vie. with the curs, of Bettws-Evan and Brongwyn, in the dioc. of St. David's, val. 300, in the patron of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient structure, in which is an old font, and near it an inscription. There is a place of worship for the Methodists. Coins and tumuli have been found in the neighbourhood. PEMBUALLT, a hmlt. in the par. of Llangammarch, hund. of Builth, co. Brecon, 8 miles S.W. of Builth. It is situated on the river Irvon. PEMBURY, a par. in the hund. of Washlingstone, lathe of Aylesford, co. Kent, 4 miles S.E. of Tunhridge, its post town, and 3 N.E. of the Wells. The village, which is large, is wholly agricultural. The land is partly in common and wood, with some hop grounds. The Tunbridge union poor-house is in this parish. Tlio living is a vie. with the cur. of Trinity annexed, in tho