The Mill Bridge
POINT 21 THE MILL BRIDGE
The ‘bridge’ is in fact a tidal barrage built originally in the Middle Ages to power the town’s corn mill. It is recorded that this mill was granted to the Knights Templar as early as 1199. In around 1830 an impressive 5 storey mill was built (a similar mill still stands at nearby Carew), but it was destroyed by fire in 1956 and demolished. Only the base remains – and provides a viewpoint to the Castle and is the proposed site for the statue of Henry VII.
To your right is the NORTH QUAY where the renovated CORN STORE now houses a shop and café surrounded by modern flats. Further along the north shore is Rocky Park, a limestone quarry which gave its name to a modern housing development.
From this vantage point many of the great 18th and 19th painters, including JMW Turner, Paul Sandby and Charles Norris painted Pembroke Castle. More information can be found in Pembroke Museum.
The tidal flow to the quay is now controlled by a barrage, which enables water to be kept in the Castle Pond for much of the time. It also provides a circular walk around the pond which brings you to the western side of the Castle.
