Pembrokeshire Archives

Pembrokeshire Archives Pembrokeshire Archives houses historic records for the county of Pembrokeshire and serves researchers, families, and institutions. It preserves civil and ecclesiastical documents, cartographic materials, photographic collections, and private papers linked to local figures and organizations. The service connects to national and regional networks, cooperating with archives such as the National Library of Wales, The National Archives (United Kingdom), Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, and local museums.

History

The development of Pembrokeshire's archival service reflects broader trends set by legislation and personalities: the influence of the County Archives Committees, the impact of the Local Government Act 1972, and professional standards promoted by the Society of Archivists and the Archives and Records Association (UK & Ireland). Local benefactors and collectors including members of the Windsor family, estate owners associated with Picton Castle, and legal figures connected to Haverfordwest County Court contributed manuscript series. The archive's holdings were shaped by transfers from parish churches linked to the Church in Wales and records from boroughs such as Milford Haven, Tenby, and Pembroke Dock. Twentieth-century events—like changes following the Second World War and administrative reorganisations tied to the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994—affected custody and conservation policy.

Collections

Holdings comprise civil records including minutes and rates from county councils connected to Pembrokeshire County Council and predecessor bodies; ecclesiastical registers for parishes once under the Diocese of St Davids; and estate archives from gentry families associated with Picton Castle, Cresswell Quay, and the Sands of St Brides. Cartographic resources include Ordnance Survey sheets, tithe maps, and maritime charts relevant to Milford Haven Waterway, St Bride's Bay, and the Cleddau estuary. Photographic collections document industrial sites such as Pembroke Dockyard, shipbuilding at Milford Haven, and mining in the castellated coalfields alongside images of events like the Gorsedd of Bards ceremonies in St Davids. Business records cover firms linked to Coastal shipping, docks overseen by the Great Western Railway, and agricultural documents tied to the National Farmers' Union membership in the county. Personal papers include correspondence and diaries of figures associated with Lord Cawdor, military records from RAF Pembroke Dock, and materials touching on culture with connections to writers and artists linked to Saunders Lewis and Dylan Thomas visits. Legal documents feature wills, deeds, and manorial records connected to the Court of Great Sessions and regional magistrates.

Services and Access

The service provides catalogues and search tools comparable to systems used by The National Archives (United Kingdom) and the National Library of Wales, with staff trained under standards promoted by the Archives and Records Association (UK & Ireland). Readers can consult records in supervised reading rooms similar to facilities at Bodleian Libraries and Cambridge University Library; remote enquiries link to inter-institutional networks with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and archival aggregators. Reproduction services follow guidelines used by the British Library and rights procedures akin to those at the Imperial War Museum, with charges and licensing for publication. Advice for family historians references practices of the Society of Genealogists and access to parish registers for baptisms, marriages and burials. Outreach includes support for academic researchers from institutions like Cardiff University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and collaborative projects with heritage bodies such as Cadw.

Facilities and Preservation

Facilities are designed to meet standards advocated by national bodies including the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust and guidance from the British Standards Institution on environmental controls. Strongrooms store paper, parchment, maps and photographic negatives in climate-controlled conditions with monitoring systems similar to those installed at National Museum Cardiff and repositories linked to the Public Record Office. Conservation workshops undertake treatments in line with techniques used at the Conservation Centre, National Library of Wales for deacidification, encapsulation, and rehousing. Disaster planning references protocols from the Museums Association and resilience frameworks related to flood risks observed around the Milford Haven Waterway and coastal zones like St Brides Bay.

Outreach and Education

The archive runs educational programmes for schools and community groups, collaborating with curricula initiatives from Estyn and higher-education partners such as Swansea University and University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Exhibitions and talks have connected archival material to regional celebrations like the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park events, heritage open days supported by Heritage Open Days, and thematic displays referencing maritime history involving Royal Navy units and commercial shipping linked to P & O Ferries. Volunteer and internship schemes follow models used by the National Trust and regional museums, while digitisation projects collaborate with platforms and funders such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and partnerships exemplified by work between the National Library of Wales and local authorities.

Category:Archives in Wales