subject: Pembroke, one of Wales's bigest castles [print this page] Pembroke, one of Wales's bigest castles Pembroke, one of Wales's bigest castles
Tourists enjoying holidays in Pembrokeshire should not miss the opportunity to visit one of Wales's largest castles, the huge fortress at Pembroke, birthplace of Henry V11.
And there the historically minded can find an answer to the question why Jasper Tudor fled with his son, the future king, during the Wars of the Roses.
Thousands of visitors flock through the imposing Great Gatehouse during their holidays in Pembrokeshire and without exception are stunned by the breathtaking scale of the Norman structure with its 75-feet high Great Tower or keep and its Norman Hall.
Soaring above the waters of the moat, it is an impressive site and it is little wonder that it attracted the attention of artists like Turner and the 18th century engravers Samuel and Nathaniel Buck.
Pembrokeshire was for centuries the seat of major barons who played leading roles in shaping the history and destiny of Britain and during their holidays in Pembrokeshire visitors can find the answers to many questions as they visit the tower in which Henry Tudor was born. The dawn of the Tudor dynasty is recreated in a colourful tableau which includes the story of Henry's mother, the courageous young Lady Margaret Beaufort. There is another depiction of the revelry of a medieval supper where Earl William de Valence and his family feast in the Great Hall, which features the part de Valence played in the downfall of Llewellyn, the last Prince of Wales.
Another two tableaux, introduced last year, which visitors on holidays in Pembrokeshire will find fascinating, feature the siege of the castle at the end of the Civil War when Poyer, the turncoat Mayor of Pembroke, switched allegiance from the Parliamentarian to the Royal side and took up arms against Cromwell's Roundheads.
In the dungeon and the deep, dank Wogan's cavern beneath the castle, the visitor can learn of the cruel practices engaged in during the Middle Ages and the cavern's Stone Age origins.
All history is reflected here and visitors taking holidays in Pembrokeshire can enjoy a host of other activities, such as brass rubbing, a browse through the Gift Shop which sells souvenirs at pocket-money prices and literature throwing light on the castle's long and complex history, or a relaxing time in the castle's contemporary cafe which provides snacks or light meals.
The castle is open all year round and there is a varied list of events planned this year, including exciting historic re-enactments.
