CYMRAEG search COVID-19 (Coronavirus) For details on service changes visit our Coronavirus information and advice page. MILL BAY PEMBROKESHIRE: LAND OF LEGENDS Home / About the National Park / Culture and Heritage / Land of Legends / Mill Bay SHARE THIS Mill Bay, a quiet cove on the Dale Peninsula, is a site of huge historical significance. HENRY’S LANDING A tale from the calm of Mill Bay, near Dale, to the bloody battle at Bosworth. Audio Player 00:00 00:00 Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. This is the story of Henry Tudor, born locally at Pembroke Castle, and his spectacular homecoming. Henry had spent most of his life in exile in France. In 1485, at the age of 28, he returned to his homeland with an army of about 2,000 men and a mission to defeat the King and reclaim the English crown. Henry and his men chose to land at Mill Bay, at the mouth of Milford Haven. This was close enough to his home of Pembroke and also close to allies. Yet it was hidden away from the eyes of the King’s supporters. After coming ashore, Henry and his men marched towards Haverfordwest, gaining support en route. Onwards they then marched to Carew Castle, home of Rhys ap Thomas, a very rich and powerful man. Henry knew that if he and his men were to have any hope of defeating the King, they would need Rhys and his men on their side. Rhys had, however, sworn allegiance to King Richard III. He’d also vowed to King Richard that Henry Tudor would only land in Wales ‘over my belly’. Thus, to ease his conscience about helping Henry, Rhys lay down under Mullock bridge and allowed Henry and his men to walk over his belly. He afterwards proved a loyal supporter to Henry, bringing with him an army of well-trained men. The men marched eastwards. By the time they reached Bosworth, they were about 5,000 in number. When King Richard arrived to meet him, he had 12,000 men in tow. Horses charged, arrows flew, armour clanged, swords clashed. After a short but bloody battle, Richard was defeated and carried away on horseback. Rhys was knighted on the battle field and then returned to Carew where he celebrated his rise in status by thoroughly renovating Carew Castle and later holding a great tournament there – five days of magnificent feasting and jousting. Meanwhile, Henry had marched on to London and become King Henry VII, founder of the Tudor Dynasty. DOWNLOAD HENRY’S LANDING AUDIO FILE DOWNLOAD ST ANN’S HEAD HALF DAY + WALK MAP GET IN TOUCH Contact us and register your details to get the latest updates on what's happening in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. CONTACT US National Park Office Llanion Park Pembroke Dock Pembrokeshire, SA72 6DY Tel: 01646 624800 Email: info@pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk VISITING Plan your visit Access for All Carew Castle and Tidal Mill Castell Henllys Iron Age Village Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre QUICK LINKS About the National Park Authority About the National Park Planning Contact Us News Jobs Accessibility Statement Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Cookie Policy Sitemap © 2021 Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. Cookie settingsACCEPT