AT the February meeting of Pembroke Ladies Probus, the group was enthralled by the wonderful talk given by Gareth Mills on William Marshall.

Often referred to as the forgotten knight, Gareth ensured that the group would not only remember Marshal, but realise the prominent and important role he played in history and his connection to Pembroke Castle.

William Marshall was born in Hampshire 1147 the son of a minor nobleman, with no lands or fortune to inherit. Yet he became one of the richest and most powerful people in Britain serving and advising in total five kings.

As his father opposed the king, William was taken hostage at five years old by King Stephen and released three years later. Aged 12 he was sent to France to train as a knight and by the age of 31 he was classed as the greatest knight on the tournament circuit.

With such a reputation he returned to England and was employed by Henry the second as a bodyguard to Queen Eleanor and later as a tutor in arms to the prince in waiting. Such was the esteem in which he was held that at the age of 43 he was married to the16 year old daughter of Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke.

This marriage transformed the landless knight bringing him extreme wealth and properties in England, Ireland, Normandy, and Wales, one of which was Pembroke Castle.

It was Marshall who created the castle that we know today. He made a soldier’s castle, one that would be difficult to breach and one relevant to his station in life. The keep was unique in its time having a stone domed roof, from a design he had seen on buildings in Jerusalem.

This took five years to build and it is still the original one that we can see today.

One of his finest achievements is the drawing up of the Magna Carta. The names of those associated with it are written in order of influence and first on the list is William Marshall.

At his death in 1219 he was buried as a Knights Templar in Temple Church, London. Possibly ‘the best knight that ever lived’.

Val Randall thanked Gareth for his excellent and informative talk.

The next meeting will be on March 18 at The Coach House, Pembroke where the speaker will be Isla Tasker.