captaincrash
<font color=darkorchid>!!!Surrender over yer LOOT!
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2005
- Messages
- 10,508
Excellent Tom !!
I've been to Pembroke Castle in the 1970s with my parents. It's a fairly good example of a medieval castle. We lived about 90 miles east of Pembroke.
On the map we lived about 15 miles just south of the Brecon Beacons.
It's great to visit but I'm not ready to move back
David
Walking through places with a meaningful historic past always gives me pause to consider... and Pembroke Castle was certainly a memorable place. Although it was no collossal monstrosity - it sure must have loomed large in the community in 1093 when the first wooden pallisade was built on what I assume was this site by Earl Roger of Montgomery
Soon after the Battle of Hastings in 1066 the victorious Norman invaders looked to Wales, but it was not until 1093 that Earl Roger of Montgomery built the first Pembroke Castle. Although it was a fairly basic structure of timber palisades the castle stood firm against Welsh counter attacks.
Two sieges were successfully resisted and the strategic importance of the castle grew as Pembroke became the base for the Normans' campaigns in Ireland.
In 1189 William Marshal became Earl of Pembroke and the castle passed into his hands. Over the next 30 years he transformed the earth and timber structure into a powerful stone fortification.
William Marshal was a mighty figure in mediaeval Britain. A crusader and faithful adherent of Henry II, he championed the causes of both Richard I and John, whom he advised on the Magna Carta. He was also Regent to the infant Henry III. His chief legacy to Pembroke was the Great Tower and much of the Inner Ward. William was succeeded by each of his five sons in turn. His third son, Gilbert, was responsible for enlarging and strengthening the castle between 1234 and 1241.
According to legend an Irish bishop had put a curse on William Marshal saying that all his sons would die childless. The castle thus passed into the hands of William de Valence, a half-brother of Henry III who became Lord of Pembroke through his marriage to Joan, granddaughter of William Marshal.
Valence family held the castle for 70 years, strengthening it by building the walls and towers around the outer ward. They also fortified the town, creating a ring of walls with three main gates and a postern.On the death of Aymer, William de Valence's son, the castle passed through marriage into the hands of the Hastings family. In 1389 the death of John Hastings at the age of 17 ended a line of inheritance stretching back for over a quarter of a millennium.
After the death of Aymer de Valence Pembroke Castle reverted to Richard II. It was granted out in a series of short tenancies and began to fall into disrepair. In 1400 the great Welsh soldier, patriot and hero, Owain Glyndwr, led yet another rebellion against the hated English settlers.
Pembroke escaped a siege because the Constable at the time, Francis а Court, bought off Glydwr with the Welsh equivalent of danegeld.
Eventually Pembroke Castle passed into the hands of a new Earl, Henry VI's half-brother Jasper Tewdwr. He was the first to make it more of a home than a fortress, embellishing the domestic buildings with fireplaces and a fine oriel window.During the Wars of the Roses Jasper's 15 year-old sister-in-law, Margaret, was sent to Pembroke Castle for her safety.
There she gave birth to a son Henry Tewdwr, who later defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field to became the first monarch of the Tudor dynasty.Henry VII, although he spent his childhood at Pembroke, never returned to Wales as king. He did however create his son, Henry Prince of Wales, Earl of Pembroke.
Just imagine how many generations have walked the ramparts of Pembroke Castle IN SERIOUS service to thier governing Earl and King? Or put another way - it is fascinating to walk where so many have trod before in the history of the region?
lmao: 
yeah right) then could be a few days earlier but i wouldn't count on it. 
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Congrats on the closing!
Since won't be going to France..DH said that WDW would be great (I had him talked into August but if we want to change to June...anytime after the 20th would be fine.)
We have always wanted to take Tori to the area and since the trip is free except airfare..it's a good time. Airfare won't be as bad as Europe. 
Maybe by then I will have figured out how to get these videos into smugmug.
Nice day to go walking around...
