Collections - Haverfordwest Town Museum

A Unique Collection

Our artefacts reflect all aspects of social history, archaeology, furniture, made by local craftsmen, paintings, prints, uniforms all helping us to reflect the history of Haverfordwest from early medieval times up to the twentieth century.

At one time Haverfordwest was a major port, one of the biggest in Wales, and being situated in the centre of the county on the river Cleddau, was the central market place for Pembrokeshire. For centuries Haverfordwest has been the centre of local administration, the place where justice was dispensed and the militia and other military units were based. Many of these functions the town still performs today.

Haverfordwest is unique in Wales, since, in 1479 the Prince of Wales, later Edward V (one of the Princes in the Tower) granted the town county status, so it was a county of itself as well as being the county town of Pembrokeshire. Many of these unique aspects of the town’s history are shown in artefacts in our collection.

Local Treasures

In addition to the artefacts which the museum has acquired either by donation or purchase, we are proud to display important collections from other organisations.

We provide a home for a wonderful collection of stone artefacts which were excavated by Cadw from the ruins of the Augustinian priory on the banks of the Cleddau (1983-96). These include striking carved capitals and an astonishing fourteenth-century corbel stone found in the Chapter House which has seven male faces sharing eyes. We are also delighted to display items from the county council museum service based at Scolton Manor. These include a large butter churn made by the Llewellin family, medieval wood carvings from St Mary’s Church (including a ‘Green Man’) and a lock and key from the gate at Haverfordwest castle when it was a working prison.

The museum has fascinating items dating from the time when the South Wales Railway arrived at Haverfordwest in 1853. Thanks to the ‘Sharing Treasures’ grant which was available to Welsh museums a couple of years ago we have acquired some items of local treasure including a delicate medieval chape and a heavy silver medieval affluent merchant’s ring. The following photographs show just how wide ranging our collections is.

Highlights of Collection of Haverfordwest Town Museum

Silver epergne presented to the former Mayor of Haverfordwest William Walters in 1855. Originally part of a whole dining service, this alone survives. It commemorates the opening of the South Wales Railway at Haverfordwest in 1853 and has engravings of a railway tunnel and the town crest. The service was presented to Mr. Walters by a public subscription to thank him for hie efforts in bringing the railway to town.

Seven-faced corbel stone from the Chapter House of the Augustinian Priory at Haverfordwest and ingeniously the faces share six eyes. Found during excavations in 1990. The priory was founded circa 1200 and was closed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536.

Sword in German silver and presented to the Commanding officer of the local volunteers, Lt. Colonel Xavier Peel of Glanafon in 1868. The blade is appropriately inscribed.

Butter Churn made at the Llewellin churchworks, a local manufactory of importance which made dairy utensils and equipment for the dairy industry whose products were exported all over the world. The business began as a coopers in 1789 and eventually closed in 1966.

Silver merchants ring, fifteenth century, found locally in 2015 and acquired by the museum through the Saving Treasures Grant. The ring bears a monogram and would have belonged to a member of the affluent merchants in Haverfordwest who traded to Ireland, English coastal ports, France, Spain and elsewhere.

Wooden carving of the so-called ‘Green Man’ from the fifteenth century and taken from the ceiling of St. Mary’s Church in 1844.

Chain worn by the Mayor of Haverfordwest and gifted to the council by a local landowner and academic, Mr. George Leader Owen in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The central jewel contains a representation of the town arms. Haverfordwest has had a mayorship since 1479.

Dramatic drawing of an execution at Haverfordwest castle drawn by John Attwood, a local artist. The drawing depicts the execution of David Duckfield for murder in April 1801. Duckfield was later gibbeted at Tavernspite Common.

An ornate nineteenth-century till taken from the long-established barbers and tobacconist shop of Mr. Sidney Pugh which was located at the top of High Street.

Sketch of a man sitting around a campfire drawn by internationally famous artist Augustus John (1878-1961) and drawn in the 1930s. John lived for some of his childhood in Haverfordwest. His older sister Gwen was born in town in 1876.

The original town stocks, thought to be around 300 years old and which were once located at Pillory Street near St. Mary’s Church. They were famously viewed by David Lloyd George when he visited town in 1905. They were used to humiliate people who had committed offences and misdemeanours and were last used in the mid nineteenth-century.

The only remaining cell door from the Haverfordwest prison which was built in 1820 and then converted into the county police headquarters in 1878.

Watercolour by noted local artist Theo Whalley showing the entrance to the old prison governor’s house (the former and future Haverfordwest Town Museum). Also depicted, on the right, is the fine Georgian villa, Foley House, designed by John Nash.