PEMBROKESHIRE is a maritime county of South Wales. It forms a peninsula at the south-west corner of the principality, and is surrounded by the sea everywhere except on the eastern side, where it is bounded by Carmarthenshire and by Cardiganshire. Its shape is very irregular, which makes it difficult to ascertain its exact extent. Its extreme length is thirty, and its extreme breadth twenty-seven miles. Its area is estimated, but with no decided accuracy, at 575 square miles.

It is generally an undulating county, composed of plains, with, hills of no great elevation, except in the northern part, [7:17:183]where a range of mountains is stretched out to the extent of nine or ten miles. The loftiest points of this group are Precelly Top, 1754 feet, and Brennin-Vaur, 1285 feet above the level of the sea. Few of the hills in the other parts of the county attain a greater height than 290 feet. As the greater part of the country is destitute of woods, it has a bare and bleak appearance, except in the valleys, where the numerous brooks which flow through them impart a pleasing verdure to the bordering meadows.

The most considerable rivers are the Eastern Cleddaus, which forms at first the dividing line between this county and Carmarthenshire; and the Western Cleddaus, which traverses a considerable portion of Pembrokeshire. These two rivers unite, and form the admirable estuary of Milford Haven, which is considered as the best harbour in the British islands. It is sufficiently capacious to contain the whole navy of England, is so completely sheltered as to be secure from all winds, and has good holding ground, with competent depth of water. During the war these advantages induced the lords of the admiralty to establish a dock-yard, chiefly with the view of building ships. It is situated on the southern shore of Milford Haven, about two miles from the town of Pembroke. It includes an area of about sixty acres, its surface descending in a gradual slope to the water’s edge, along the shore of which there is ample space for a couple of dry docks, and at least twelve building slips. The work has been executed with care and accuracy; but, owing to the state of general tranquillity which has prevailed for more than twenty years, it is not of the vast importance that it may become in case of another extended naval war. When at its greatest height, this establishment had about five hundred men. The town of Huberstone, on this bay, is now the resort of the packet for the south of Ireland, and is thus a place of much activity, as far as regards the number of passengers to and fro. The entrance to this important estuary is almost free from danger; the principal difficulty is a sunken rock called the Chapel Rock, but it may easily be avoided, and has at low tide seventeen feet of water on it. This rock, as well as the shoals near it, is well buoyed. There are several bays on this coast, in which are good anchorage and safe riding for ships. The most important of these are St Bride’s Bay, Ramsey Sound, and Nayland Road.

The rivers of this county are but of short course, and, with the exception of those two which empty themselves into Milford Haven, discharge but little water. The names of these rivers are the Newgall, the Solva, the Alan, the Gwayn, the Nevern, the Cuch, and the Tivy.

The soil of the county is generally a red loam, in many parts resting on a calcareous subsoil, and admirably adapted for the growth of corn. In some places the surface is covered with porous stones, which are supposed to imbibe and retain the salt from the saline air, and to render the land highly prolific. The principal grain consists of wheat, barley, and oats; but in some parts of the county rye is extensively cultivated. The modes of cultivation are commonly the same as those which prevailed in remote ages, that is, growing wheat, barley, and oats in succession, till the land was so exhausted as to yield no increase, when it was suffered to return to its natural state, under the idea of recovering itself by rest. Very little attention is paid to the preservation of manure; the barns and farming erections are very badly constructed; and the agricultural implements, especially the ploughs, are of a rude and antique form. Such is the description of the greater part of the agricultural state of the country; but there are splendid exceptions. The size of the farms varies from fifty to a hundred acres; but the average extent of them is estimated to be about two hundred. Some of the occupiers are annual tenants, but many hold from the lords of manors by leases for three lives at an agreed rent, though without any fine on the renewal of a life, as is customary in England, and on the lands in Pembrokeshire belonging to the church.

The black cattle of this county are of an excellent race, and are annually distributed over the south of England in droves, which travel from fair to fair till the whole are sold. They are commonly sent to market when they are in calf for the first time. Some valuable horses are bred here. The sheep are small, and yield little wool, but the mutton is very highly esteemed.

At no very remote period silver was found in the parish of St Elwys, or St Bride’s Bay. The mine, which was discontinued in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was resumed some years ago, but not with such success as to induce perseverance. Some excellent lead ore is found upon the banks of the Tivy, but the mines are not worked with any degree of spirit. The most important production of the mines is coal. It is confined to a district of narrow extent on the southern side of the county. The strata lie near the surface, and the quality is not very good. The inhabitants use the small coal mixed with clay and formed into balls; it is sulphureous, and highly offensive to strangers.

The manufactures of this county are exceedingly few, but the building of ships and boats gives employment to about 400 persons. There are about 130 weavers of woollen cloth and flannels; but they are so much scattered about the county, that the largest number in any one place is no more than seventeen at St David’s. Attempts have been made to introduce cotton-spinning, but without success. The chief trade now consists in the conveyance of coals from Tenby to the opposite shore of Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset, where they are found fitter for limeburners and maltsters than for fuel in dwellings. The great travelling causes the circulation of much money, and some is derived from the company that in the summer frequent Tenby for the purpose of sea-bathing.

The inhabitants are of two distinct races. If a line be drawn through the whole county, bisecting the town of Haverford West, it will be found that on one side of the line nothing but English is spoken, and on the other side only Welsh. This is so definite, that in the town of Haverford West the one language is spoken in the upper, and the other in the lower part of it; and there are two markets, one frequented by the English, the other by the Welsh peasantry. The part where the English live, commonly called Little England beyond Wales, was originally peopled by a colony of Flemings, who have kept themselves distinct since the first colonization. It is admitted that they speak the English language with more purity than the lower classes in any other part of the island.

One member of parliament is chosen by the freeholders for the county, and the polling-places are Haverford West, Pembroke, Narberth, Fishguard, Newport, Tenby, and Mathry. The towns of Milford, Pembroke, Tenby, and the ancient borough of Wiston, elect one member amongst them.

St David’s, the see of a bishop, is a miserable collection of cottages, in the midst of traces of ancient, extensive, and numerous buildings. The object deserving of most notice is the cathedral, the antiquity of which is very great, having been originally built about the year 1180, and enlarged in 1280 and 1328. The bishop’s palace is a magnificent pile, not far from the cathedral, on the opposite side of the river Alan. It was originally a quadrangular building of great extent, of which at present only one side remains entire.

Amongst the ancient buildings in this county, the most remarkable are Carew Castle, on a creek of Milford Haven; Manorbeer, the mansion of the Barry family, of which Giraldus Cambrensis was a member; and Killgarran, on [7:17:184]the river Tivy, the massy towers and fragmented bastions of which present a most imposing spectacle.

The picturesque beauties of this county, the mildness of the air, and the abundance of every thing, have induced many gentlemen to select it as the place of their residence. The houses of this description are therefore too numerous to be mentioned; but amongst the more ancient proprietors who have splendid seats are, Lord Milford, Sir John Owen, Lord Kensington, Lord Cawdor, and several others.

The population of the county amounted in 1801 to 56,280, in 1811 to 60,615, in 1821 to 74,009, and in 1831 to 80,900. The annual value of the real property, as assessed in 1815 for the property tax, was L.219,589.

According to the returns of the year 1831, the families chiefly employed in agriculture were 7974; those chiefly employed in trade, manufactures, and handicraft, were 4510; and those comprised in neither of the preceding classes were 4102. The number of males under twenty years of age was 18,356. The occupiers employing labourers were 1842, and the occupiers not employing labourers were 1864. The labourers employed in agriculture were 6075. Persons employed in manufactures or manufacturing machinery were 131; those employed in retail trade, or in handicraft, or masters, or as workmen, 4785; capitalists, bankers, professional and other educated men, 605; labourers employed in labour not agricultural, 1599; other males under twenty years of age (except servants), 1124; male servants, twenty years of age, 331; male servants under twenty years of age, 219; female servants under twenty years of age, 4929. The towns and their population which exceed 2000 persons are, Pembroke, 6511; Haverford West, 3915; Narberth, 2589; St David’s (city), 2388; Tenby, 2128; and Dogmels, 2109.