Tenby

Tenby is a charming seaside resort town in Pembrokeshire. The name of the town in Welsh is Dinbych-y-psygod, which means 'fortlet of the fish'. Tenby was taken by the Normans during their expansion into Wales, and as a result of a long history of Anglo-Norman occupation, the area has been more English in culture and language despite being located in Wales and relatively remote from England. Consequently, the area of South Pembrokeshire around Tenby is often called 'Little England beyond Wales'.

The Normans first built a castle on what is now Castle Hill. However, the castle was not very successful in defending the town from multiple Welsh attacks. When Llywelyn ap Gruffudd attacked South Wales, he managed to sack Tenby even without capturing the castle. In the 13th century, Tenby became part of the Marcher Lordship of Pembroke, and the Earl of Pembroke were determined to protect the town.

The Earl of Pembroke built stone walls which now enclose the Old Town of Tenby. The presence of the stone wall helped to deter further Welsh attacks, however, it also made the castle quite obsolete. The castle was slowly abandoned, and only a few feature of the old structure remains today.

As Tenby grew in importance as a national port, the town received royal funding to further improve its defences. As a result, the Tenby town wall can be considered as one of the best medieval town walls in Britain. In the Elizabethan era, a large tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following the fear of a second Spanish Armada invasion.

Perhaps the most historically important event in Tenby happened when young Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII, took shelter in the city before escaping to France. As a descendant of the House of Lancaster, Henry was wanted by his Yorkist rival, Richard III.

Beneath the streets of Tenby lies a network of secret underground tunnels that was probably used by merchants to store their goods. These underground passages played a key role in smuggling young Henry out of Tenby to cross the narrow sea into France. The course of British history would have been very different should Henry Tudor did not manage to escape from Richard III. Henry Tudor would later gather a foreign army in France and returned back to England as Henry VII, the founder of the House of Tudor royal line.

While Tenby is a city full of important history, most people today visit the town for its colourful houses and charming beaches. Tenby is indeed a relaxing getaway destination with very friendly locals. It is also a good base from which to further explore the Pembrokeshire coast.

I found that a weekend stay in Tenby was very pleasing and relaxing. Most of the medieval buildings inside the town have been replaced by modern colourful houses, which offer their own charm. Also, as part of the Pembrokeshire coast, the beaches in Tenby are beautiful and enjoyable.