Pembroke is gearing itself up for Saturday’s grand unveiling of the much-anticipated statue of Henry VII. The ceremony will take place at 2 pm on Pembroke’s Mill Bridge, an ideal setting for the statue as it will stand against the stunning background of Pembroke Castle, Henry’s birthplace. Further, the Mill Bridge has now been suitably enhanced to make the area an attractive public space with improved seating and flowers.

Said project leader Linda Asman: “It is marvellous that this project has generated huge public interest but we could not have got to the place we are now without the combined support of town and county councils. It was Pembrokeshire County Council’s town centre support programme which started it all. This programme offered grants to help fund schemes to enhance our towns, as a result of which Pembroke Town Council formed a regeneration committee, chaired by Clr. Dennis Evans, to develop projects. The statue was one of the projects put forward for consideration and we were successful in our bid for funding; we were promised £20k provided we could match fund it; £40K being the total amount needed for an eight-foot high bronze statue.”

Pembroke Town Council commissioned local sculptor Harriet Addyman to make the statue. Harriet is a director of the model making company Autodromo Ltd., of Narberth, which makes exhibits for museums and large scale fibreglass pieces. She is also a model maker and sculptor, having trained in sculpture restoration at CCTA in Carmarthen followed by a degree in sculpture in Bristol. A short distance away in Clunderwen, the statue has been cast in bronze by Martin Bellwood, of MB Fine Arts. Appropriately, this statue of a King born in Pembroke has been made in Pembrokeshire!

In January of last year, at a meeting organised by Pembroke and Monkton Local History Society, Harriet’s maquette (miniature) of the statue was displayed for public inspection and the fund raising campaign was launched. It was greeted with great enthusiasm and generosity both from individuals and local organisations, although the task of raising so much was greatly facilitated by generous donations from Valero and Mr. Richard Evans.

The unveiling will be followed by a community party on the South Quay which has been funded by the kind generosity of Mr. Richard Evans. A marquee will be erected on the South Quay and a programme of entertainment, music and games has been planned to run throughout the afternoon and evening, including: 2.30 pm - Pembroke Male Voice Choir; 3 pm - Welsh dancing on the Quay with Dawnswyr Tawerin; 3.30 pm - The Mummer’s Play by the East End Flyover Company; 4 pm - Medieval Music by La Volta; 5-10.30 pm - bands in the marquee.

There will also be an exhibition ‘The Making of Henry’ by the History Society close by in St. Mary’s Church. Henry VII was baptised in St. Mary’s Church and here also you will see a very fine Thomas Kempe stained glass window of Henry.

Everyone is welcome to join in to celebrate, with us, our Tudor King.

Any queries, please contact Pembroke Town Hall, Main Street, Pembroke, tel. 01646 683092, or email [email protected]