Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for MILFORD HAVEN

MILFORD HAVEN, the estuary of the river Cleddau in Pembroke. Ithegins in the southern vicinity of Haverfordwest; extends in a southerly direction, with inconsiderable width, to a distance of about 5½ miles; makes then a sudden bend to the west; and extends thence westward, about 12 miles, to the sea at St. Ann's Head. Only the lower or westward reach of it is usually called Milford Haven; and this is from 1 to 2 miles wide; has five bays or considerable inlets, ten creeks or lesser inletS, and no fewer than thirteen roadsteads, affording anchorage to the largeSt Ships. It formS the finest harbour in the kingdom, large, safe, and deep enough to hold the entire British navy; it is well sheltered from storms by undulating hills around it; it admits such easy entrance that a vessel may safely run into it without anchor or cable; it has, in most parts, a depth of from 15 to 19 fathoms,-and, in less favourable parts, a depth of from 6 to 12 fathoms; and it washes, or leads up to the quays of Milford, New Milford, Pembroke, and Haverfordwest. The fleet of Henry II. started from it to conquer Ireland; the French invading army of 12,000 men, in the time of Henry IV., landed at it to support Owen Glendower; and the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII., disembarked at it on his return from Brittany, was received at it by Rhys ab Thomas with a select body of Welsh troops, and marched hence to Bosworth field. Shakespeare also, in "Cymbeline, ''brings Imogene hither to meet her husband. The surrounding sea-board is scant of trees, and not abundant in verdure; and it presents an aspect more desolate than picturesque. The N side, reckoned from the entrance upward, has St. Ann.'s light, Dale bay, Stack rock, Sandy road, Man of War or Milford road, and Neyland or New Milford road; and the S side has Thorn, Rat, and Sheep islands, Angle bay, and Pennarmouth creek, the last leading to Pembroke. Fortifications have recently been constructed by the government at varions points,-Popton, South Hook, Blockhouse, Dale Point, Stack Rock, and Thorn island. See MILFORD, Pembroke.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "the estuary of the river Cleddau"   (ADL Feature Type: "estuaries")
Administrative units: Pembrokeshire AncC
Place: Milford Haven

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