Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Sir Benfro) is a county in the far south-west of Wales, surrounded by sea on three sides. It covers 625 square miles (1,619 km2), had 123,360 residents at the 2021 census, and is run from County Hall in Haverfordwest.
Haverfordwest is the largest town and the administrative centre. Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke, Tenby, Fishguard and Narberth follow. St Davids, with fewer than 2,000 people, is the smallest city in Britain.
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Welsh name | Sir Benfro |
| Area | 625 sq mi (1,619 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 123,360 |
| Density | 76 people per km2 |
| Welsh speakers | 17.2% (2021 census) |
| Largest town | Haverfordwest (Hwlffordd) |
| Council | Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Postcodes | SA61 to SA73, SA34, SA36 to SA43 |
Towns and Villages in Pembrokeshire
The county has 345 named towns, villages and hamlets, running alphabetically from Abercastle to Yerbeston. Welsh forms are standard in the north, English in the south: Hwlffordd for Haverfordwest, Aberdaugleddau for Milford Haven, Doc Penfro for Pembroke Dock, Dinbych-y-pysgod for Tenby, Abergwaun for Fishguard, Arberth for Narberth and Tyddewi for St Davids.
- Abercastle
- Abercych
- Abereiddy
- Ambleston
- Amroth
- Angle
- Begelly
- Bengal
- Bentlass
- Berea
- Bethesda
- Bethlehem
- Blaenffos
- Bletherston
- Boncath
- Bosherston
- Boulston
- Brawdy
- Bridell
- Brimaston
- Broad Haven
- Broadmoor
- Broadway
- Broom
- Brynberian
- Burton
- Burton Ferry
- Bwlchygroes
- Caerfarchell
- Camp Hill
- Camrose
- Carew
- Carew Mountain
- Carew Newton
- Carnhedryn
- Carreg-wen
- Casmael
- Castlebythe
- Castlemartin
- Castlemorris
- Cerbid
- Chapel Hill
- Cheriton
- Cilgerran
- Cilgwyn
- Cilrhedyn
- Cippyn
- Clarbeston
- Clarbeston Road
- Clegyr-Boia
- Clunderwen
- Clydey
- Cnwcau
- Cold Blow
- Cold Inn
- Colston
- Cosheston
- Coxlake
- Cresselly
- Cresswell Quay
- Crinow
- Croes-goch
- Cross Hands
- Crosswell
- Crundale
- Crymych
- Cuffern
- Cuttybridge
- Cwm-yr-Eglwys
- Cwmwdig Water
- Cyffredin
- Dale
- Dandderwen
- Deerland
- Dinas
- Dreenhill
- Druidston
- East Trewent
- East Williamston
- Eglwyswen
- Eglwyswrw
- Fishguard
- Flimston
- Ford
- Freshwater East
- Freystrop
- Gelli
- Gethsemane
- Glan-dลตr
- Glandwr
- Glanpwllafon
- Glanrhyd
- Glenowen
- Glogue
- Golden Hill
- Goodwick
- Granston
- Green Plains
- Gumfreston
- Gwastad
- Gwrhyd Mawr
- Harmony
- Haroldston West
- Hasguard
- Haverfordwest
- Hayscastle
- Hayscastle Cross
- Haysford
- Hazelbeach
- Henry’s Moat
- Herbrandston
- Hermon
- Hill
- Hill Mountain
- Hillblock
- Hodgeston
- Hook
- Houghton
- Hubberston
- Hundleton
- Jameston
- Jeffreyston
- Johnston
- Jordanston
- Keeston
- Kilgetty
- Kingsmoor
- Lake
- Lambston
- Lampeter Velfrey
- Lamphey
- Landshipping
- Lanesend
- Lawrenny
- Lawrenny Quay
- Leonardston
- Letterston
- Leweston
- Liddeston
- Little Haven
- Little Honeyborough
- Little Milford
- Little Newcastle
- Llanddewi Velfrey
- Llanddinog
- Llandeloy
- Llandilo
- Llandissilio
- Llandruidion
- Llanfair-Nant-Gwyn
- Llanfyrnach
- Llangloffan
- Llangolman
- Llangwm
- Llanhowell
- Llanllawer
- Llanon
- Llanreithan
- Llanrhian
- Llanstadwell
- Llanteg
- Llantood
- Llanwnda
- Llanycefn
- Llanychaer
- Llawhaden
- Llechryd
- Llwyncelyn
- Llwyndrain
- Llys-y-frรขn
- Lochvane
- Loveston
- Lower Freystrop
- Lower Kingheriot
- Ludchurch
- Lydstep
- Maenclochog
- Maiden Wells
- Manorbier
- Manorbier Newton
- Manordeifi
- Manorowen
- Marloes
- Martletwy
- Mascle Bridge
- Mathry
- Melinau
- Merlin’s Bridge
- Merrion
- Middle Hill
- Middle Mill
- Milford Haven
- Millin Cross
- Milton
- Minwear
- Monington
- Moreton
- Morfa
- Morvil
- Mount Pleasant
- Moylgrove
- Mynachlogddu
- Narberth
- Nevern
- New Bridge
- New Hedges
- New Moat
- New Park
- Newchapel
- Newgale
- Newport
- Newton Mountain
- Neyland
- Nine Wells
- Nolton
- Norchard
- Panteg
- Pelcomb Bridge
- Pelcomb Cross
- Pembroke
- Pembroke Dock
- Pen-y-bryn
- Penally
- Penffordd
- Penny Bridge
- Penparc
- Penrydd
- Pentlepoir
- Pentre Galar
- Penycwm
- Pisgah
- Pleasant Valley
- Pont-yr-hafod
- Pontfaen
- Pontiago
- Pontrhydyceirt
- Pontyglasier
- Pope Hill
- Port Lion
- Portfield Gate
- Portheiddy
- Porthgain
- Poyston Cross
- Princes Gate
- Puncheston
- Pwllcrochan
- Redberth
- Reynalton
- Rhodiad-y-Brenin
- Rhos-Bayvil
- Rhos-hill
- Rhos-y-llyn
- Rhoscrowther
- Rhosfach
- Rhosson
- Rhosycaerau
- Rhydygele
- Rinaston
- Robeston Back
- Robeston Cross
- Robeston Wathen
- Robeston West
- Roch
- Rosebush
- Rosemarket
- Rudbaxton
- Sageston
- Sandy Haven
- Sardis
- Saundersfoot
- Scleddau
- Sealyham
- Simpson Cross
- Skerryford
- Slade
- Slebech
- Solva
- Spittal
- Square and Compass
- St Brides
- St Davids (Tyddewi)
- St Dogwells
- St Florence
- St Ishmael’s
- St Lawrence
- St Nicholas
- St Petrox
- St Twynnells
- St. Dogmaels
- Stackpole
- Star
- Stepaside
- Steynton
- Stonyford
- Summerhill
- Sutton
- Talbenny
- Tavernspite
- Tegryn
- Templeton
- Tenby
- The Rhos
- The Valley
- Thomas Chapel
- Thornton
- Tiers Cross
- Trecwn
- Trefasser
- Treffgarne
- Treffynnon
- Trefgarn Owen
- Trefin
- Treglemais
- Treleddyd-fawr
- Treleidr
- Trelerw
- Tretio
- Trevinert
- Trewyddel
- Trooper’s Inn
- Tufton
- Twycross
- Upper Nash
- Uzmaston
- Vachelich
- Velindre-farchog
- Wallis
- Walton East
- Walton West
- Walwyn’s Castle
- Warren
- Waterston
- Welsh Hook
- West Williamston
- Weston
- Whitchurch
- Whitechurch
- Whitehill
- Wiston
- Wolfscastle
- Wolfsdale
- Wood
- Wooden
- Woodstock
- Yerbeston
Geography
Carmarthenshire lies to the east and Ceredigion to the north-east; everything else is coast. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, designated in 1952, is the only national park in Britain made up mainly of coastline, and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path runs 186 miles around it.
The Preseli Hills rise to 1,760 ft (536 m) at Foel Cwmcerwyn in the north, sheep country of moor and outcrop. The centre is drained by the eastern and western Cleddau, which join to form the Daugleddau and then the deep-water Milford Haven waterway, one of the finest natural harbours in Europe. Offshore lie Ramsey, Skomer, Skokholm, Grassholm and Caldey.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 123,360 usual residents, little changed since 2011, at 76 people per square kilometre. The age profile is old: more than a quarter of residents are 65 or over, one of the highest shares in Wales.
17.2% of residents aged three and over could speak Welsh in 2021, the seventh highest share in Wales. The distribution is unusually sharp. The Landsker Line, a language boundary set by Norman settlement in the twelfth century, still divides the Welsh-speaking north around Crymych, Mynachlogddu and Eglwyswrw from the historically English-speaking south known as Little England beyond Wales, where the village names are Jameston, Templeton and Hodgeston rather than Llan- and Pont-.
Economy and Local Life
Tourism, farming and energy carry the county. Summer visitor numbers multiply the population of Tenby, Saundersfoot, Broad Haven and St Davids several times over. Dairy and beef work the lowlands; early potatoes from the coastal strip reach market before anywhere else in Britain.
The Milford Haven waterway handles a large share of the UK’s liquefied natural gas through the South Hook and Dragon terminals, alongside the Valero oil refinery and Pembroke power station. Fishguard and Pembroke Dock run ferries to Rosslare in Ireland. Bluestone and Folly Farm near Narberth are among the largest visitor attractions in Wales.
History
The bluestones of Stonehenge were quarried in the Preseli Hills at Carn Goedog and Craig Rhos-y-felin and moved 150 miles to Salisbury Plain around 3000 BC. St David founded his monastery in the west in the sixth century; the cathedral that replaced it still draws pilgrims.
The Normans arrived in 1093 and built Pembroke Castle, where Henry Tudor was born in 1457; he sailed from France to Mill Bay near Dale in 1485 and marched to Bosworth. Flemish settlers were planted in the south in the 1100s, which is how the Landsker came about.
In February 1797 a French force of about 1,400 landed at Carregwastad Point near Fishguard and surrendered two days later. It remains the last invasion of mainland Britain. Pembroke Dock built Royal Navy ships from 1814 to 1926, including five royal yachts.
Getting There
The A40 is the main approach, running from Carmarthen through Haverfordwest to Fishguard. The A477 serves Pembroke Dock and the south, the A478 Tenby and Narberth, and the A487 the coast from Cardigan to St Davids and on to Milford Haven.
Three railway branches reach the county from Whitland and Clarbeston Road: to Fishguard Harbour, to Milford Haven, and to Pembroke Dock via Tenby. Trains run through to Swansea, Cardiff and London Paddington. Ferries sail from Fishguard and Pembroke Dock to Rosslare, and Cardiff Airport is about 100 miles east.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Pembrokeshire?
123,360 at the 2021 census, across 625 square miles.
What is the largest town in Pembrokeshire?
Haverfordwest. Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke and Tenby come next.
How many villages are there in Pembrokeshire?
345 named settlements are listed above, most of them villages and hamlets of fewer than 500 people.
What is the Landsker Line?
A language boundary running roughly from Newgale through Haverfordwest to Amroth. North of it Welsh has always been widely spoken; south of it English has predominated since Norman and Flemish settlement in the 1100s.
What are the postcodes for Pembrokeshire?
SA61 to SA73 cover Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Pembroke, Tenby and Fishguard; SA34 and SA36 to SA43 reach the north and east of the county.
Where is Pembrokeshire?
At the western tip of south Wales, bordered by Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion and by the Irish Sea, St George’s Channel and the Bristol Channel.