FISHGUARD

The first thing many people think of when they hear the name Fishguard is the ferry service to Ireland.  In fact, the name of the port the ferry goes from is Goodwick, down the hill from Fishguard town centre.  One word of warning to anyone heading to Goodwick to catch a ferry from the M4 direction: allow plenty of time.  The first time we made the journey we thought we had plenty of time, only to find that the roads became progressively narrower and slower as we neared Fishguard, meaning we almost missed the ferry.

Anyway, back to Fishguard itself.  In 1797 the town was the scene of what is often referred to as the "last invasion of Britain", the invasion in question being on the part of the French, who proved to be unequal to the forces led by Lord Cawdor, otherwise known as John Campbell.  Lord Cawdor used Fishguard's Royal Oak Pub as his Headquarters, and it was here that the French surrender was signed.  The pub has battle memorabilia recalling the event, while the Town Hall houses a tapestry called the Last Invasion Tapestry.  Fishguard is somewhat split into two, with the higher part of town housing most of the shops and galleries including the West Wales Arts Centre, as well as the aforementioned pub, while the Lower Town, laid out around the mouth of the River Gwaun, has the feel of a fishing village.  To the north lie the ruins of the Old Fort, built in 1781; it was from here that guns were fired to warn off the approaching French ships in 1797.    

Map of the area.  

Fishguard Harbour. Photo by Tim A Lee, via Wikimedia Commons.