Milford Haven

Milford Haven situated near the mouth of the River Cleddau, at the extreme end of south west Wales, is the largest town in the County of Pembrokeshire, with a population of just under 14,000.

In the 9th and 10th Centuries Viking seafarers frequently took shelter here, the name Milford probably coming from a phonic development of two Old Norse words - Melyr/Fyord (sandbank inlet).

In the late 18th century, the Nantucket Quaker Whalers made it their home for the great whaling fleets of the age, (the first oil age), for following their persuasion to return to the Old World, the town of Milford Haven was built on the American grid-iron system by Charles Francis Greville. On his visit to the town in 1802, Admiral Lord Nelson was heard to remark that he thought it was one of the great harbours of the world.

Passage of time In the early part of the 20th century, it was the base for a very large fishing industry, where it was once possible to walk across the entire width of the docks on the decks of trawlers, but following the fishing industry's decline in the 1950's hard times were followed by the second oil age with the construction of large oil refineries in the 1960's onwards. A very large Marina now occupies a part of the dock basin, with local, Spanish and Belgian trawlers also using the facilities on a daily basis.

In true traditions of the sea, just as the tide ebbs and flows, so the fortunes of the town have fluctuated over the centuries. Apart from the oil industry, making the Port of Milford Haven the sixth largest in tonnage in the U.K., it has also diversified into light industry, with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, passing right though the town. The Milford Haven Port Authority, Milford Docks Company, and Marina have all made huge contributions to the well being of the town.

There are good road and rail links to other parts of the U.K, a small local airport is based 10 miles away at Withybush, Haverfordwest, whilst Irish Ferries run twice daily package boats from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare in the Irish Republic.