Take the steps leading up past the school and continue straight on to Wellington Road. Cross to St Annes Road and follow the road back downhill to the centre of Milford Haven. Milford Haven  Milford Haven was founded in 1790 by Sir William Hamilton on an area that formed part of his Pembrokeshire estate. Prior to this the area was mainly agricultural with a small 12th century 'Beacon Chapel'. The inlet at Milford Haven was known as Hubberston Pill and a daily ferry sailed to Ireland from the hamlet of Hakin.
In the late 1700s Sir Hamilton sent his nephew Charles Francis Greville to plan and build a town and port on the east of the Pill which was hoped would attract the transatlantic trade that was flourishing at the time. In 1793, Greville recruited the help of a group of American Quaker whalers, and the French planner Jean Louis Barrallier. Greville hoped to establish a whaling industry in Milford, as at that time, whale oil was used for street lighting in the towns and cities across the UK. Admiral Nelson, lover of Sir William Hamilton's wife, Emma, was a frequent visitor to Milford. Hamilton developed a major port with a ferry service to Ireland, a Royal Naval Dockyard and a fleet of whaling ships. It soon became one of the largest fishing ports in Britain. The fishing industry had declined by the 1950s. At this time the oil industry moved to Milford Haven and a number of refineries were established, although now only two remain. The next industrial reincarnation of Milford Haven may include the processing of LNG, and as a harbour for cruise liners that visit the area due to its proximity to the Pembrokeshire National Park, the tiny city of St David's and a number of good golf courses.  Milford Town Museum is sited at the Town Docks in the old Custom House, and charts the history of the town so far. Herring gulls, lesser and greater black-backed gulls and comorants are often spotted around the Dock.
Thanks to Kirsty Morris, Pembrokeshire Greenways, Pembrokeshire County Council, Sid Howells and Blaise Bullimore - Countryside Council for Wales, Jane Hodges, Park Ecologist - Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and ExxonMobile. Click here to return to the beginning of the walk. |
