If Stratford-upon-Avon is the home of Shakespeare, and Haworth the heart of Brontë country, then Pembroke – Penfro, to give its Welsh name – has grounds to be celebrated as the birthplace of the Tudor dynasty. Certainly, that’s what road signs into this charming town in west Wales declare.
Today a small town of just 8,000 inhabitants, Pembroke is still dominated by the hulking fortress that has guarded its rocky promontory for over 900 years. Its owners – including the Tudors – have come and gone, but the castle still looms above Mill Pond, a stern reminder of Pembroke’s strategic importance. Military garrisons have, though, been replaced by exuberant children excitedly exploring every nook of this stone labyrinth.