Pembrokeshire was known to the Welsh in these early times as Dyfed. On the death of Rhodri Mawr in 877, Dyfed fell nomi nally under the sway of the princes of Deheubarth, or south Wales; their hold was never very secure, nor were they able to protect the coast towns from the Scandinavian pirates. This is shown by the large number of Scandinavian place names that are found in the coastal districts, especially near the south coast. In 1092 Arnulf de Montgomeri, son of Roger, earl of Shrews bury, did homage to the king for the Welsh lands of Dyfed. With the building of Pembroke castle, the Normans began to spread over southern Dyfed; whilst Martin de Tours, landing in Fish guard bay and building the castle of Newport at Trefdraeth, won for himself the extensive lordship of Kemes (Cemmaes) between the river Teifi and the Preseli mountains. Flemish settlers vyore planted in the hundred of RhOs, or Roose, in or about the years 1106,1108 and I III with the approval of Henry I., and again in 1156 under Henry II. The castles of Haverfordwest and Tenby were erected to protect these aliens, and despite the fierce attacks of the Welsh princes their domain grew and their district became known as "Little England beyond Wales." In 1138 Gilbert de Clare was created earl of Pembroke with the full powers of an earl palatine in Dyfed.
Examination of the mediaeval record shows a marked con trast between the Englishery of the south with its compact vil lages and cultivation, and the Welshery of the north with its scat tered farms and tribal groups. The south was better populated than the north and maintained a closer contact with the affairs of the English plain. It was also the Norman stronghold and the south of the county has long been famous for its mediaeval castles. The finest examples are to be observed at Pembroke ; Manorbier, built in the 12th century and interesting as the birthplace and home of Giraldus Cambrensis ; Carew, exhibiting many interesting features of both Norman and Tudor architecture ; and Picton. Other castles are the keep of Haverf ordwest and the ruined f or tresses at Narberth, Tenby, Newport, Wiston, Benton, Upton and Cilgerran. There are remains of monastic houses at Tenby and Pembroke, but the most important religious communities were the priory of the Augustinian friars at Haverfordwest and the ab bey of the Benedictines at St. Dogmells. The latter, founded by Martin de Tours in the nth century, owned the priories of Pill and Caldy. Considerable ruins of the abbey exist near the lef t bank of the Teifi about 1 m. below Cardigan. Of the ancient preceptory of the Knights of St. John at Slebech scarcely a trace remains, but of the college of St. Mary at St. Davids founded by Bishop Houghton in 1377, the shell of the chapel survives.
Interesting examples of mediaeval domestic architecture are the ruins of the former episcopal mansions at Llawhaden, St. Davids and Lamphey, the two latter of which were erected by Bishop Gower between the years 1328-47. The cathedral at St. Davids is, of course, the greatest ecclesiastical monument in the county as well as in the principality. The nave dates largely from 1180-98 and the building was continued into the 13th century. Bishop Gower (5328-47) altered the windows and lifted the roofs of the aisles. Bishop Vaughan (1509-22) built a beautiful chapel
with fan-vaulting and increased the height of the tower. The Rood Screen (14th cent.), the mediaeval bishop's throne, the pardon screen, and the stall for the king as a prebend of the cathedral are noteworthy features. St. Mary's, Haverfordwest, is of the 13th century, altered in the 15th.
By the Act of Union (27 Henry VIII.), the king abolished all special jurisdiction in Pembrokeshire. Some parts of the county were for the king in the 17th century, though the influence of the parliament grew as the castles of Tenby and Haverford west fell to their arms. In February 1797 some French frigates appeared off Fishguard Bay, but the crews surrendered.
Climate, Occupations and Communications.—The south of the county has more sunshine and less rain than any other region in Wales although it is open to the south-west winds. The chief industry is agriculture, wherein stock-raising is pre ferred to the growing of cereals. Of cattle the long-horned, black Castlemartin breed is conspicuous. The i9th century saw the establishment of the naval dockyard at Pembroke (Paterchurch) and the building of docks and quays at Neyland and Milford. The closing of the Pembroke Dockyard soon after the war of 1914-18 has seriously affected employment in south Pembrokeshire. The improvements during the early part of the loth century at Fish guard in the north of the county have made it an important packet station for Ireland, though the attempt to make it a port of call for ocean going liners has failed. The south Wales coalfield extends into south Pembroke, and coal is worked at Saundersfoot, Begelly, Templeton, Kilgetty and other places.
The south Wales branch of the G.W. railway enters Pembroke shire from the east near Clynderwen Junction, whence the main line leads to Fishguard Harbour. Other lines proceed to Neyland and Milford Haven by way of Haverfordwest, and a branch line from Clynderwen to Goodwick joins the main line at Letterston.
The Whitland-Cardigan branch traverses the north-east by way of Crymmych and Cilgerran. Another line running south-west from Whitland proceeds by way of Narberth and Tenby to Pembroke Dock.
Administration.—Municipal boroughs are Pembroke, Haver fordwest (also a county of itself) and Tenby. The hamlet of Bridgend and a part of St. Dogmell's parish are included within the municipal limits of Cardigan. Newport (Trefdraeth), once the chief town of the barony of Kemes, or Cemmaes, still possesses a mayor and corporation under a charter granted in 1215 by Sir Nicholas Marteize, lord of Kemes, whose hereditary representative still nominates the mayor and aldermen. Milford Haven, Narberth and Fishguard are urban districts. Pembrokeshire lies in the South Wales circuit. By the act of 1918 the county returns one member to parliament. Ecclesiastically, it contains 153 parishes and lies wholly in the diocese of St. Davids.
See R. Fenton, A Historical Tour through Pembrokeshire (181o) ; E. Laws, History of Little England beyond Wales (i888) ; Basil Jones and E. A. Freeman, History and Antiquities of St. David's (1856), etc. Ancient Monuments Commission Report, Pembrokeshire (1925).