Arnulf DE MONTGOMERIE

  General Notes:

Arnulf Montgomery marched into South Pembrokeshire with his Norman army late in the 11th Century. Impressed by the fertility of the land, he quickly grasped the strategic importance of Pembroke in any plan to dominate the region the region, and that town became his riverside headquarters. It could be re-victualled from the sea in times of siege, and formed a powerful defensive position against the de-possessed and resentful Welsh.

Soon the small Welsh fortress at Tenby was captured, probably by peaceful penetration. For the next few centuries Tenby's safety and prosperity were firmly linked with that of the Earls of Pembroke. By the middle of the 12th century some form of primitive castle had been built on the Castle Hill and garrisoned by English and French troops. Built by Gerald de Windsor, or a little later by Gilbert de Clare - first Earl of Pembroke (1138-1148), it was designed to protect the Norman's eastern flank from attack by Welsh chieftains.

Along with the network of castles and other defensive structures the Normans built, it was hoped that the Tenby fortifications would provide a period of stability to enable them to establish their manorial system. It would allow them to settle French, English and Flemish immigrants whom they imported in numbers

In 1151 members of the Tenby garrison wounded Cadell ap Grufydd, a Welsh nobleman, hunting in the woods near Saundersfoot. Two years later, in 1153, his brothers Maredudd and Rhys carried out a daring nighttime revenge assault and captured the town. Having punished the men responsible for the injuries to their brother, they handed the castle back to their cousin, William Fitzgerald, who was acting constable for the Earl of Pembroke. In 1187the town was attacked and ransacked by the marauding welsh, under Maelgwyn ap Rhys. In 1260 it suffered its last battering at Welsh hands when Llewelyn ap Gruffydd put the town to the sword in protest against the Norman occupation of Wales.

Pembroke Castle
Location: Pembrokeshire(SM 982016) Type: enclosure Date: 1090
Began as a earthwork enclosure overlooking the Pembroke River. Built by Arnulf de Montgomery. The main feature is the great tower, 53ft. in diameter and 80ft. high. King Henry VII was born here in 1456.

Pembroke Castle was first built by Arnulf de Montgomery who was granted the Pembroke area by his father Earl Roger of Shrewsbury who conquered much of |Dyfed in 1093. Originally a flimsy wooden structure Arnulf entrusted it to one of his followers, Gerald of Windsor. In 1098 granted the church of St Nicholas "within his castle of Pembroke" to the Norman abbey of St.Martin's, Sees and soon after a priory was founded just south of the castle. Monkton Priory. In about 100 the town was granted a charter by Henry 1 creating a mayor, burgesses and freemen , giving them power of government over the town and area as well as all commercial activities.

The earldom of Pembroke was created in 1138. It was not attacked during the Welsh wars due to the impregnability of its site , situated as it is on a peninsular rock between two streams. The burgage sloped down from the ridge towards the walls and river. In 1324 there were 220 plots and in 1326 238. Mostly the burgage pattern is extremely well preserved. Parts of the wall also still remain. There were three gates. North gate situated at the bottom of Dark Lane; East Gate at the top of Goose Lane; West Gate at the bottom of Westgate Hill.
Within the walled area were two churches-St.Mary's built in the late 12th or early 13th Century and St.Michaels built in the second half of the 13th century. (Present Church built in 1887). There is a building known as the Old Hall which dates from the 14th Century and has been restored. There was also a Mill by the bridge.

Medieval Pembroke was a prosperous town. From the 14th Century its population must have exceeded 1000 people. By the late 15th century the town had expanded beyond the walls by Monkton Priory, the east gate and across the river at bridgehead. However by the end of the 16th century the town had begun to decline in wealth as it's maritime trade declined and Haverfordwest developed as a commercial centre. In 1648 it was besieged by Cromwell chasing General Laugharne who had turned from his army to the royalists. The town suffered and lost its military role and trading privileges and became just a market town.

Arnulf married Lafracoth O'BRIEN, daughter of King Of Ireland Murchertach II O'BRIEN and Dubhchobhleigh OSSORY, in 1100 in Ireland. (Lafracoth O'BRIEN was born about 1080 in Munster, Ireland and died in 1119.)

  Marriage Notes:

Source: LDS Film #1985232[91502.ftw]

Source: LDS Film #1985232