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Narberth, Pembrokeshire

Historical Description

Narberth, a market-town, the liead of a poor-law union petty sessional division, and county court district, and a parish in Pembrokeshire. The town stands on a hill-slope, on a tributary of the East Cleddau river, 11½ miles N of Tenby, 14½ N by E of Pembroke, and 252 by rail from London. A castle was built here by Sir Andrew Perrott at the introduction of the Normans to Pembrokeshire; was an important strength during the struggle of the Anglo-Normans with the Welsh; passed from the Perrotts to the Mortimers; was given by Henry VIII. to Sir Rhys ap Thomas; took part with Charles I. in the Civil War; sustained great injury from the troops of the Parliament; was the residence in 1657 of Captain Castell, an adherent of Cromwell; went afterwards into complete decay; and is now represented by a few ruins of picturesque appearance on the crown of a hill. The town is small, is a seat of petty sessions, was made a borough in 1832 to unite with Haverfordwest and Fishguard in sending a member to Parliament, but now forms part of the Pembroke and Haverfordwest district of Boroughs. It has a head post office, and a station on the Pembroke and Tenby railway. The courthouse was erected in 1864; the old premises are now used as a literary institute and reading-room. The church was rebuilt in 1881, and is in the Perpendicular style. There are Baptist, Congregational, and Wesleyan chapels, a cemetery, and a workhouse. A weekly market is held on Thursday, fairs are held monthly, and considerable trade is done in connection with neighbouring quarries and coal mines. Population of the borough, 1091. The parish is cut into two divisions-North and South Nar-berth-and includes Molleston, Templeton, and Eedstone. Acreage of North Narberth, 3129; population, 1525. Acreage of South Narberth, 3116; population, 571. Population of the ecclesiastical parish, with Eobeston Wathen, 1806. Templeton forms a separate ecclesiastical parish; population, 571. There is a parish council consisting of fifteen members. The manor belongs to the De Rutzen family. Templeton belonged to the Knights Templars. The living is a rectory, united with the chapelry of Robeston Wathen, in the diocese of St David's; net value, £406 with residence. Patron, the Crown.

Transcribed from The Comprehensive Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1894-5

Land and Property

The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Pembrokeshire is available to browse.


Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers online: