Well what a weekend last weekend was, Iron Man Wales surpassed everyone’s expectations and Matthew Evans has to be congratulated on his triumph in bringing this to Pembrokeshire. I live in Tenby and on the Saturday I was down on the North Beach with my grandchildren, 10 year old Amber and 8 year old Charlie who were taking part in Iron Kids Wales. The excitement was palpable and I think everybody was surprised at how many kids wished to take part. In fact they had to have separate heats in all the age groups because of the numbers. Charlie was first, and exerted himself coming 4th in his heat. He was delighted and can’t wait for next year when he has promised to do even better. Amber ran and swam her heart out, but did admit when she finished that she might not do it again. The marshals were tremendous and all credit to them. There was even an Iron Man professional at the end of each heat handing out the medals to the delighted children. What was fantastic was the way in which the spectators cheered and encouraged the children along the course and a great time was had by all. Sunday was spectacular with the Iron Man proper taking place, all day throughout Tenby you could hear the roars of encouragement to the athletes taking part. My family and I wandered round Tenby with Charlie taking great enjoyment from leaning over the barriers for the athletes to “Hi five” as they ran past. Later we had a perfect view of the finishing line on The Esplanade and watched the leaders taking their just acclaim as they ran down the finishing line. From the start this was a perfect opportunity for Pembrokeshire to show the world how beautiful this part of Wales is and how well we can stage multinational events. FBM Holidays were full for the weekend and I had the opportunity to speak to athletes from all parts of the globe as well as Britain who spoke highly of the event and how spectacular the coastline and scenery is in Pembrokeshire. So if you want to be a part of next Years Iron Man, don’t delay and book your self-catering accommodation with the premier agency in West Wales – FBM Holidays.
When you think of Pembrokeshire, you immediately think of Tenby and Saundersfoot. But stop - and allow me to introduce some other towns and villages within a 20 mile radius of Tenby that you may not have heard of before.
Penally lies a couple of miles from Tenby and has spectacular views over Tenby’s golf course and South Beach, facing towards Caldey Island. The Parish church is well worth a visit and it is rumoured that St Teilo, a contemporary of St David was born here.
Kilgetty and Begelly are intertwined villages about 5 miles from Tenby. St Mary’s church in Begelly has the highest tower in the county. Folly farm is a hop skip and a jump away from Begelly and proves to be one of Pembrokeshires premier attractions having won numerous awards. There is a history of coal mining in the area.
Stepaside is very close to Kilgetty and has in Pleasant Valley the ruins of the iron works in a good state of preservation which can be walked around.
Manorbier has a fabulous castle open to the public and is privately owned. This has great views of the beach and surfing is prevalent here.
Narberth is situated about 8 miles from Tenby and is a fantastic example of a small market village. With a large number of exclusive shops available, the shopping is not to be missed. Narberth also has the ruins of a castle on its doorstep.
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire and is around 20 miles from Tenby. Again it possesses good shopping and the ruins of a castle in the middle of the town.
Freshwater East about 8 Miles from Tenby has a spectacular beach and being on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, has many good walks.
Lamphey nearby to Freshwater East has the ruins of the Bishops Palace, a retreat for the clergy from St Davids with fishponds, fruit orchards and vegetable gardens to sweeping parklands for them to enjoy.
Castlemartin is home to the MOD and especially tank training grounds. There are viewing spots around for you to watch the tanks performing battle situations.
Whilst the above are only a few of the towns and villages around, there are many many more for you to visit, such as St Florence, Marltwy, Landshipping, Lawrenny, Llawahaden, Templeton, Carew, Little Haven, Broadhaven and loads more. They all have their own salient features and as Pembrokeshire is full of history spanning stone age dolmens and henges to World War 2 history and beyond coupled with some of the best beaches in Britain and spectacular scenery that is a must for any holidaymaker. Pembrokeshire has it all in buckets and spades. FBM Holidays - the premier self-catering agency in West Wales have properties to rent all over Pembrokeshire, so you are never far from the beach or an inland scenic area. With all the attractions and theme parks also available, why holiday anywhere else? Go to FBM Holidays and take advantage of our special offers for this summer and enjoy a Welsh holiday.
Well with the weather so good in this part of the country why not come to Pembrokeshire and visit the many theme parks on offer. There is something for everybody - no matter how old or young you are.
Oakwood has the world famous Megafobia an exciting wooden roller coaster as well as Speed where you hold tight and get ready for 2000 feet of fast, furious fun. You’ll climb, plunge, roll, twist, turn and loop on super fast orange rails at speeds of up to 95kph. Take the plunge and let Drenched carry you 100 feet up into the air, then drop you at up to 88mph into the pool below. Think that’s as wet as you can get? Try handling the 45 foot splash wave on the bridge! You might have seen a house fly. Even a horse fly. But has anyone seen you fly? Go for it on Vertigo, the skydiver-designed extreme flight experience. There is family fun for all with the treetops coaster, plane crazy, bobsleigh and a pirate ship to name but a few. Small children aren’t left out with such attractions as play town rides, bunny rabbit rides, wacky factory and lost kingdom. You don’t have to leave the park at all with eateries,changing rooms and all the fun of the park available.
Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, the top paid-for visitor attraction in Wales and winner of the Best Family Day Out in Pembrokeshire. Located near Tenby in the beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside, Folly Farm offers affordable fun days out for the whole family. With six fun-filled amusement and activity zones, some of which are undercover, there is something for everyone to enjoy. So, when you are looking for fun things to do for all the family, whatever the weather, look no further than Folly Farm. Come and see the Jolly Farm animals or ride on the fairground rides in the indoor Funfair. Enjoy the outdoor Adventure Parks and Carousel Woods indoor Adventure Playground. Visit Follywood Country Park and our very own Zoo, which is home to the only giraffes in Wales. A family day out at Folly Farm is fantastic value for money and there is no need to worry about your energy levels as there are plenty of restaurants and food outlets for to pit stop and re-fuel your family.
Manor House Wildlife Park has something for everybody…If you’ve only got a couple of hours make a beeline for the walkthroughs… We haven’t just given our collection a freer lifestyle - we throw you in with them! Start with the Lemur Walkthrough, it’s the next best thing to seeing lemurs in the wild in Madagascar. They’ll come right up to you. Then head off for the Wallaby Walkthrough - you’ll be amazed at how close you can get.The wallabies are friendly - bring your camera, you’ll get some wonderful images.If you have a little more time get the kids going on the Wildlife Trail - it’s fun and it’ll give them an appetite, while you head off to picnic areas to set up the barbie… Don’t forget the sausages! - there’s nothing like a family meal all together, in the fresh air. Then hang out with Steve and Lisa in The Valley of the Apes. And get fresh will Tommy the Tapir and his new mate Rio.If it’s a date you might try the Manor House Cafe - New kitchens, new chef, new menu - the ideal way to start a new romance!
The Dinosaur Park Tenby, Lots to see and do! The family fun lasts all day, including Astra Slide, 18-hole Adventure and Frisbee golf, 4x 4 off-roaders circuit, Super Jumper Trampolines, Diggers, Jungle Climb, Pedal Trucking, Disco boats, Motorised Tractors, Orbiter Cars, Big Game Hunting and more. Dig for your own fossil, identify it and take it home with you. Purpose-built Indoor Adventure Playground for toddlers and bigger kids. Soft play Den- super slides, bif-bash bags, ball pits, crawl tubes and deck climbs. Perfect for Playden and Ride n’Bounce Birthday Parties from £6.50 per child. Check out our Activity Centre Undercover in our dinosaur skeleton building, inter-active and low tech fun and education – something for everyone from toddlers to grannies. Learn and enjoy. Plus Dinosaur Restaurant, Sun Terrace Kiosk and Gift Shop.NEW FOR 2011! The Amazing Bubble Ride Heaps of fun on water in the giant roll ball!
Heatherton World of Activities near Tenby in Pembrokeshire South Wales is open all year and it’s one of Wales’ favourite ‘All Weather Attractions’ with many activities under cover. New April 2011 Craft Shack Cafe plus for the 3 to 10 year olds Water Peddlerz and Driving School. Heatherton country sports theme park caters for all age groups and abilities. So whether you want a relaxing or sports filled activity fun day out, or an adrenalin-fuelled, extreme adventure day, Heatherton has it all as well as special packages for groups and team building events that give you exclusive use of facilities in school term time.Admission to the theme park is free, we operate a credit pass system or pay as you play. This provides unique tailored days for families, individuals, groups and organisations. Adrenalin activities include Paintball, The Tree Tops Trail and Go-Karting, so get physical in our paintball combat zones or swing high up in the trees on our Tree Tops Trail and feel the adrenalin buzz. Relaxing activities include a 2 acre Coarse Fishing lake, where you use your own fishing equipment and fishing licence a 4 rink Indoor Bowls Centre and an 18-Hole Golf Course. Sports activities include Archery, Baseball, Laser Clays, Golf Driving Range and Pistol Shooting. Why not challenge your friends, colleagues or family? Fun activities include Water Walkers, Adventure Golf, Pembrokeshire Raceway, Bumper Boats, Maize Maze, Indoor Play Area, Giant Puzzle Zone, Sand Pit Diggers, Outdoor Inflatable Zone, Trampolines, Free Outdoor Playzone and Master Blaster. New Play Zone April 2011 Water Peddlerz, Craft Shack Cafe plus Electric Car driving school.
These are just five of the many theme parks available in Pembrokeshire and FBM Holidays have carefully selected self catering properties near each park ready and waiting for you and your family to enjoy a fantastic holiday in Pembrokeshire - so don’t delay - book today!
One place to visit whilst you are in Pembrokeshire is the monastic island of Caldey, situated about three and a half miles off the coast from Tenby. The island is home to a small village, but is best known for its monastery. Boats run regularly from Tenby Harbour or Castle Beach during the summer season. Why should you visit Caldey? This spectacular island has had religious connotations since the Sixth century when a Celtic monastery was founded on the island, and a Benedictine foundation existed from 1136 until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536. An Anglican Benedictine community, led by Dom Aelred Carlyle, came in 1906 and built the current abbey. They were received into the Roman Catholic Church in 1913, but left Caldey in 1925 due to financial difficulties and moved to Prinknash Abbey. The Cistercians, who now occupy the abbey, came in 1929 from Scourmont Abbey in Belgium.
You can see a sixth century Ogham cross, a Norman chapel, a twelth century church, the lighthouse, built in 1828 and of course the twentieth century monastery.
The word “Caldey” comes from the viking name “Keld-Eye” meaning “cold island”, but I can assure you that if it’s sunny in Tenby, it’s glorious on Caldey. There is a spiritual retreat throughout the year, but the principal income for the monks is tourism, with the monks making their own delicous chocolate and also perfume (Their lavender perfume is said to be “simply the best lavender soliflore on earth” by the perfume critic Luca Turin) and aftershave to sell during the Summer months.
Caldey is a small island only 1-1/2mile by 1 mile. The monastery and ancient churches combine with the sea air and quiet, beautiful surroungings to create a unique atmosphere of timeless peace. The Lighthouse has spectacular views of the Pembrokeshire coast and beyond from the back of the island and Tenby’s beaches are panoramically displayed from the front of the island. This area is well worth a visit and FBM Holidays (the premier self-catering agency in West Wales) are ideally placed to offer you holiday accommodation overlooking this unique Monastery Island. As I write this today, the sun is shining and I’m looking out towards this beautiful restful island, so why not join us here in Pembrokeshire and enjoy the timeless tranquility of Caldey.
Why not take advantage of the superb walks along the Coastal path of Pembrokeshire this Easter. Stretching from Amroth in the south and around the coast to St Dogmaels in the North, this 186 mile path offers a multitude of varied scenery and walks to suit all ages and abilities. In its entirety the Coast Path represents a formidable physical challenge - its 35,000 feet of ascent and descent is said to be equivalent to climbing Everest — yet it can also be enjoyed in shorter sections, with the small coastal villages strung out along its length offering different hospitality and outlooks. With Pembrokeshire having been settled since Neolithic times, with completely unspoiled and sparsely populated areas to the hustle and bustle of towns such as Tenby and Saundersfoot where there is so much entertainment. The walks are usually covered from St Dogmaels to Amroth and the stiles and gates have numbers on with number one being near Pen Cemaes. There are a number of ways that you can pass through the towns but the official route is signed with white acorn signs stuck on a brown background, (Rather inconspicuous)green and yellow acorn waymarks, stuck high up onto lamposts and street furniture. You will need to check your map carefully to make sure you leave the town on a road that leads onto the path. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path has something to offer all the year round and many people prefer to walk when it’s cooler in spring or autumn, or even on exhilarating winter days. The best time depends very much on you, your interests (see below) and whether you enjoy the busy holiday season or would prefer to come during the quieter months. In summer it can be difficult to find accommodation especially for single nights, so you are advised to book well in advance. The official guidebook recommends a twelve day route (at around 15 miles each day). This is quite a challenging pace day after day, it is worth planning for at least some 10 mile days or spreading the walk over a series of visits. There are many sections that make a good circular or ‘there and back’ walk. You can make use of the walker buses to walk one way and get the bus back. Elsewhere on the National Park website there are around 200 circular walks with free downloadable maps. Many of these routes are based on the Coast Path. So why go abroad during these uncertain times when you can come to an unspoilt part of Britain and be sure of a warm welcome? FBM Holidays, the premier self-catering agency in West Wales, have many holiday properties along the coastal path just right for you to enjoy a special holiday.
What a glorious week we’ve had in West Wales, the sun has been shining and although the nights have been nippy, it’s great to see that Spring has sprung. I can’t think of a more overlooked area for holidays than West Wales, there is so much to do and see. We have it all, seas to swim, surf and in fact, any watersport you care to name can be found in West Wales. Historic places throughout the area, from prehistoric sites to imposing castles, with a history of Norman, Flemish and English occupation, just think, the Tudor dynasty started in Pembroke Castle. Theme parks galore to suit every pocket and age, from Folly Farm to Oakwood theme park and everything in between. Inland lakes and mountain ranges, rivers where coracles are still used in fishing. What hobby do you have? Horseriding? Fishing? Coasteering? Sailing? Diving? Cycling? West Wales has it all together with a most agreeable climate. What are you waiting for, if you’re looking for a holiday at home, come to West Wales with FBM Holidays, the premier self-catering holiday accommodation agency in West Wales.
Sunday, September 11th 2011 at 7am sees the inaugural outing of Iron Man Wales. This running, biking and swimming competion attracts huge numbers of international and home competitors alike, and is a spectacle not to be missed. The swim course is taking place off the beautiful South Beach with the monastic island of Caldey in view. This stunning location has enough room to watch the swim in all its glory. The run course consists of 4 loops starting just outside the historic walls of Tenby and running through the picturesque village of Penally and finishing back on the Esplanade in Tenby overlooking the South Beach. The cycle run is a 2 loop course of 180 kilometres running through some of the prettiest villages and towns in Pembrokeshire. Do you fancy taking part? Look here: - http://www.tri247.com/article_7608.html. Or why not take the easy way out and have a holiday in glorious Pembrokeshire with http://www.fbmholidays.co.uk. FBM Holidays are the premier self catering holiday accommdation provider in Pembrokeshire and have the holiday cottage for you to enjoy this fantastic competition.
Hello everybody, after my Summer holidays in Pembrokeshire with my grandchildren, I’m back. I’ve had a great time with them, from catching fish and crabs from Tenby’s beachpools to thrills at Oakwood Theme Park and much much more, it’s been a great Summer.
This week I’m departing from my normal blogs to tell you all about THE BIG RED SWIM. This is the Boxing Day swim (www.tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk) for charity from Tenby’s North Beach. This year is the 40th anniversary, but the history goes back 100 years and I’ll quote verbatim from The Tenby Times: -
The 100-year-old origins of Tenby’s Boxing Day Swim
Tenby Boxing Day Swim has snowballed into Tenby’s main Christmas attraction,” claims the TSSA website, www.tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk “With around 600 swimmers and thousands of onlookers each year, this fantastic spectacle is not to be missed. With everyone swimming for charity, and the majority in fancy dress, Boxing Day in Tenby is a surefire way to carry on the fun at Christmas. A roaring bonfire greets the emerging swimmers and every one of them receives a medal for their bravery.
“Started by Tenby Sea Swimming Association, (TSSA), the Osborne family has been associated with the spectacle from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA, has seen the event take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing wind- chill. And he said that each year, the organisers never fail to be amazed by its growing success and popularity.”
100 YEARS ago: tragedy is the springboard
This year, Tenby Boxing Day Swim celebrates its 40th anniversary with the ‘Big Red Swim’, but its family origins date back 100 years.
In 1910, Arthur Dickinson, Quaker, lay preacher, artist and keen all- year-round swimmer, brought his family from Yorkshire to live in Ruabon House, South Parade, where he and his wife ran an art and fancy goods shop. Family legend has it that he was the first person to swim to Caldey, and today his great-grandchildren help to continue the concept he initiated.
It all started when some children drowned from the beach. Arthur Dickinson was particularly upset and decided to give swimming lessons to anyone interested.
He made a harness to support the child who was being taught to swim.
“Several well known people, including Sydney Hughes, son of T. P.
(Harrods of Tenby) and Seth Williams, archetypal village bobby, told me they had learnt to swim with the apparatus,” said his grandson Alun Morgan in a letter to the Observer earlier this year.
in and under
Alun’s father, Ossie Morgan, son-in-law of Arthur Dickinson, became an assistant master at Tenby Council in 1918. Following his appointment as headmaster in the 1920s, he decided to carry on the family tradition of teaching youngsters to swim.
One such youngster, the late Dennis Hullah, reminisced: “Who among Mr.
Morgan’s hundreds of pupils, will ever forget the mad dash into the sea on the challenge ‘first in and under for a pencil’? He did not believe in trembling on the brink, but he was wise enough to know that childhood fear could be overcome in the excitement of competition. I have no doubt that Mr. Morgan would be able to work his magic with youngsters today, but his inducement might have to be more than a humble pencil!
Former Observer editor, the late Arthur Ormond, described Ossie Morgan as “an ideal headmaster… an excellent teacher, firm yet kind. He taught thousands of children to swim and was proud of the fact that many of them went on to win life-saving awards.”
Alun Morgan relates:
“On glorious, sunny summer days, an announcement was made at the end of the morning lessons - ‘Swimming today, bring costumes and towels to school this afternoon.’ There were no school dinners in those days; everyone went home for lunch. Swimming was particularly popular as it meant that school finished half-an-hour early at 3.30 pm.
“Everyone traipsed down on to the North Beach, boys to the Goscar side of Sunny Cove, girls to the other side. When everyone was ready, small ones to the front, big ones behind, a starting pistol was fired and a lemming-like charge to the sea occurred - first one in and under was awarded a lead pencil.
“Two or three staff for a whole school in the surf - think of Health and Safety nowadays! It was then up to the senior pupils to teach the non-swimmers.
Running in the family
“When my father retired, this tradition died away, until his offspring decided to get non-swimmers swimming. We four, Idris, Gly Osborne, Ray Lowe and I (plus spouses) formed the Tenby Sea Swimming Association, sponsoring and accommodating some instructors from Atlantic College during the summer, finishing with a modest swimming gala.”
The scheme was made possible through the generosity of many benefactors. Swimming lessons had started in June, 1970, with four instructors - John Granger, Sharon Powers, Beverly Anne Knight and Peter Froggatt. By the time of the gala that August about 750 courses of swimming instruction had been given to children and adults.
When the Swimming Pool opened, there was a better environment, warm and calm water for swimming instruction. The association was about to disband when Tenby’s enterprising publicity officer, John Evans, suggested a sponsored Boxing Day Swim to put Tenby on the map and raise money for charity. A much larger committee was formed - John Evans, Tom Hughes, Tony Markes, Doug Harris, Bobby King, Denzil Thomas, Rosemary John and others and so, 39 years ago, the first Boxing Day Swim took place. Alun Morgan recalls… …the first swim.
“The Town Band, under Eileen Hodgson, offered to appear, the RNLI, under coxswain Josh Richards, launched the lifeboat, the Sea Cadets built the bonfire, yachts sailed from the Tenby Sailing Club, under Blake Shaw, and the much-loved Sandy Buttle from Pembroke Dock brought his canoe class. The commandant at Brawdy fulfilled his obligatory once-a-year exercise walking on water, albeit supported by a helicopter.
“Medals were awarded to all swimmers and Brass Monkey awards went to the sponsored groups. The fancy dress competition was arranged, sweatshirts with the TSSA logo were distributed to committee members, some dignitary or other was invited to judge the fancy dress and then, at the appointed hour, all swimmers were lined up. A mass rush to the sea signalled by a maroon followed.”
So why not spend Christmas in Tenby with FBM Holidays (www.fbmholidays.co.uk) and get yourself sponsored and raise money for your favourite charity and get rid of the Xmas bloat by taking part in THE BIG RED SWIM. DS.
Hello again, this week the “Landsker Line”. This is reputedly, the imaginary line that separated the Welsh speaking community from the non-Welsh speakers in South West Wales, and stretched from St Brides Bay in the West to Laugharne in the East with villages and towns such as St Clears, Lampeter Velfrey, Narberth, Llawahaden, Wiston, Great Rudbaxton, Wolfescastle, Hayscastle and Roch all within the vicinity of this line. The English-speaking areas, known as Little England beyond Wales, are notable for having been English linguistically and culturally for many centuries despite being far from the border with England. During the 11th and 12th centuries both invaders and defenders built more than fifty castles during a complex period of conflict, effectively to consolidate the line. The southernmost was Laugharne; others included Wiston, Camrose, Narberth, and Roch. These are often referred to as “frontier castles” but they were in fact set back a considerable distance from the frontier itself. In the heart of the Normanised colony, the two great fortresses were at Pembroke and Haverfordwest. There were other fortresses within the colony as well, including Manorbier, Carew and Tenby. The Landsker line has changed position many times, first moving north into the foothills of Mynydd Preseli during the military campaigns of the Early Middle Ages, and then moving southwards again in more peaceful times, as the English colonists found that farming and feudalism were difficult to maintain on exposed hillsides. As mentioned above, the frontier moved between 1600 and today. Historic data on personal names also shows that it also moved between 1200 and 1600. There were attempts to set up a number of Norman/English “planned villages” (e.g. Letterston and New Moat) north of the current frontier in the medieval period. These subsequently failed, and were re-occupied by Welsh speakers in the post Black Death period. In more modern times, the enclosure of commons allowed a substantial southward spread of Welsh speakers, particularly in Carmarthenshire. These are quite rare examples of Welsh-speaking areas expanding at the expense of English-speaking areas; in the central part of Pembrokeshire the shift of the Landsker southwards between 1600 and 1900 was in excess of 10 km. Now many people think that the word “Landsker” is a Viking word, but it is in fact of Anglo-Saxon origin and means “a permanent, visible boundary between two tracts of land, and may be a natural feature (e.g. a river) or an artificial feature (e.g. a hedge or a line of marker stones).” The castles and features along this line are worth visiting as well as the areas to the South and North of the Landsker, FBM Holidays (www.fbmholidays.co.uk) have many self catering properties within easy reach of all the Castles and villages mentioned, so whatever your nationality, give both you and your children a history lesson and discover the rich historical heritage here in West Wales. DS
The next part in this occasional series is St Marys Church in Tenby, which is apt, as this year the church celebrates its 800th birthday. Reputedly the largest parish church in Wales, St Marys is located in the centre of the town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The church is in the Diocese of Saint David’s within the Church in Wales, and members of the Anglican Communion.
There is believed to have been a church on the site since Norman times, but most of what remains dates from the 13th century building and subsequent additions in the 14th and 15th centuries. The 13th century chancel has a ‘wagon’ roof and the panelled ceiling has 75 bosses carved with a variety of foliage designs, grotesques, fishes and a mermaid. St. Thomas’ Chapel was added in the mid-15th century, and the St. Nicholas Chapel was added in c. 1485. The spire was also a 15th century addition. Inside the church is a 15th century font and a 15th century bell with the letters ‘Sancta Anna’. The tower is positioned to one side of the chancel and dates from the late 13th century. The first floor served as a chapel, and still has a stone altar and piscina (a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessel) in place. The church contains several memorials, including the tombs of Thomas and John White, both Mayors of Tenby in the fifteenth century. Thomas White was famous for hiding a young Henry Tudor from King Richard III. in a cellar, under “Boots” and to this day Tenby schoolchildren are given the chance to enter this cellar and traverse the secret passage that leads from “Boots” to the church. There is also a wall tablet in memory of Robert Recorde, (See my earlier blogs), who introduced the equals sign ( = ) to mathematical calculation. During the first civil war, Tenby was besieged by Cromwells’ Roundheads and musket ball holes can still be seen in the church to this day. The gardens of remembrance to to the rear of the church are a magnificent oasis of calm in the bustling centre of Tenby and are overflowing with roses during the Summer. Words alone cannot describe the beauty of this church and FBM Holidays, www.fbmholidays.co.uk, have accommodation in the centre of Tenby for you to enjoy this historic building at your leisure. DS