Unable to agree a price for land close to Milford, the Admiralty chose Paterchuch on the opposite side of the Haven as the site for their new dockyard. Paterchuch This small fishing village on the edge of the Cleddau Estuary, would eventually become Pembroke Dock.
In 1814 this quiet corner of the Welsh Coast burst into life. New houses, shops and businesses were built to accommodate the influx of new workers and their families. During its heyday the dockyard was one of the largest Royal Navy Dockyards in Britain and in its short history over 260 ships were launched from its slipways. These included Warships, Royal Yachts, a Polar Explorer, and a Spaceship.
Built in 1826, the former bomb vessel HMS Erebus was refitted for a new life exploring the Polar Regions. Erebus, captained by James Clark Ross and her smaller cousin Terror, captained by Francis Crozier, set sail in 1839 to explore the Antarctic. After four years of scientific and geographical discovery, both ships returned safely to England in 1843. After their return Erebus and Terror were refitted for a new Polar adventure in the Arctic. Under the command of Sir John Franklin both ships set sail on 19th May 1845 to finish mapping the Northwest Passage. Neither vessel was seen again. Their wrecks were discovered in 2014 and 2016.
In the Spring of 1979 Pembroke Dock was chosen for a top-secret intergalactic project codenamed Magic Roundabout. However, this top-secret project didn’t remain secret for very long and rumors began circulating of a UFO being built in one of the WW2 Sunderland Hangars. Marcon Fabrications skilled workforce of welders, carpenters, and platers began building a full-size version of the Millennium Falcon for The Empire Strikes Back. After 3 months of hard work the finished ship was carefully disassembled and transported to Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. This now iconic vessel was the last to be built in Pembroke Dock.
Unable to meet the demand for larger ships, The Royal Navy Dockyard closed in 1926. Four years later it was converted into one of the largest RAF Seaplane and Flying Boat stations in the world. The Sunderland Flying boats played a vital role during WW2, hunting U-Boats and protecting Merchant Vessels. The RAF Base closed in 1959 leaving behind a void that would be filled by cargo vessels, a regular ferry service to Ireland, pleasure craft and a thriving oil and gas industry.
The shoreline around Pembroke Dock bears the scars of over two centuries of military and industrial development. From abandoned dockyards being reclaimed by the Pembroke River to the last remaining oil and gas refinery. However, despite cycles of boom-and-bust Pembroke Dock has managed to keep moving forward, finding new uses for its important, historical assets.
