A look back at Fishguard and Haverfordwest's sea trade

It is natural and pragmatic that use would be made of the resource that surrounds the spectacular 186 miles of Pembrokeshire’s coast for both transport and food.

Here MARK MULLER tells us more.

A further natural asset was the dramatic character of the coastline, along which there are innumerable peninsulas and coves that just cry out for a harbour to be built.

It meant that coastal towns/villages such as Angle, Dale, Fishguard and Newport, as well as the more obvious, bigger places, became heavier populated than places in land.

Lower Town Fishguard, one of the county's natural harbours

An early, major centre for such trade was Tenby; for several centuries the county’s leading port. It remained a prominent Pembrokeshire harbour until the early 19th century when it became recognised as a fashionable resort, and trade all but ceased.

Vying with Tenby in the early days was Pembroke, where, for a century or so after the Norman Conquest, it was necessary to bring any goods for export, or to receive any imports.

This made it easier for those tasked with imposing revenue fees/taxes on trade to have just one place from where to operate, rather than trying to impose such a system on dozens of small outlets dotted around the coast.

This gave way after a century when Haverfordwest was granted what was known as the Wool Staple in 1326 (Haverfordwest Town Council now uses the Old Wool Market as its offices).

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Any town granted the Wool Staple became the sole port in Wales from where wool or hides could be exported.

This, by itself hugely inflated the prestige, wealth and identity of the town, and demonstrated the success that the Flemings, who had arrived in the early 12th century at the invitation of the Normans, were making of their new homeland.

It led however, unsurprisingly, to discontent amongst merchants in the rest of Wales in that they had to haul their wool and hides as far south and west as Haverfordwest, in order to be able to export them.

It was as a result of multiple complaints that the prestigious position was held by the town only until 1353, when it was given to Carmarthen – hardly much better for those in the north.

The Old Wool Market in Haverfordwest, currently the town council's offices

Although this removal dented Haverfordwest’s position for a while, it resumed its premier trade place within a few centuries, helped immeasurably by its central position within the county.

In addition to the ceaseless sea trade, much use was made of the rivers; in 1972 Professor E G Bowen described the Pembrokeshire river system as, ‘a ria coastline that has meant that the sea has flooded the river valleys and their tributaries far inland, so that there are few areas of Pembrokeshire more than 10 miles from tidal water.’

All of this had the effect of making many Pembrokeshire men, who weren’t engaged in the usual occupation of working on the land, involved in some aspect, or other concerned with sea trade.

The success led to ancillary skills such as shipbuilding, even in small riverside venues, and all along the Cleddau there is evidence of small vessels having been built in Lawrenny, Cresswell, Hook, Landshipping, Cosheston amongst others.

The involvement in this, of many of the local population (who could afford it), even those with nothing to do with shipping, is shown by the number who bought shares in the building of new ships.

An older image of Lower Town Fishguard. Picture: Kevin Shales

A problem here was that Welsh timber was never considered good enough for shipbuilding, and Irish timber was sourced as an alternative for centuries.

This was replaced, as exploratory voyages increased, by the enormous trees to be found in North America, and as early as the late 17th century, huge timber cargoes were being brought back to Wales by small ships.

Detail as to what was being carried in Pembrokeshire’s trading ships, both incoming, and for export, is something that will be examined next week.