Rural Crafts Homepage

In Pembrokeshire, as elsewhere, the traditional crafts and craftsmanship that was once a flourishing industry declined as the result of industrialisation and mass production. Many rural Pembrokeshire crafts have disappeared altogether, among them thatching, coopering, rope-making, tanning and currying. However, there are still saddlers, blacksmiths and farriers, stonemasons and joiners to be found carrying on their trades.

There were also skilled craftsmen in the towns; Pembroke was noted for its glove-makers in the 18th century, while each town had its clock and watch-maker, its silversmith, bookbinder, hat-maker and even umbrella-maker.

Along the coast there would also have been practising boat-builders, sailmakers and net-makers to serve the coastal shipping industry. Most if not all of these crafts died out as improved transport links made cheaper, mass-produced goods widely accessible and even the remotest Pembrokeshire village no longer had to be self sufficient.

Woollen manufacturing has long been important in Pembrokeshire, and was given impetus by the arrival of Flemish weavers who settled in the county in the 12th and 14th centuries. By medieval times every locality had its spinners, weavers and dyers and there were fulling mills in the county from at least 1300. Their products were mainly for domestic use, although by the 16th century the county was exporting flannel and rough woollen cloth. The second half of the 19th century saw the development of water-powered woollen mills, particularly around Solva, Narberth and the Cardiganshire border. This spelt the end for the village hand-loom weavers, although a considerable amount of craftsmanship was still called for, as can be seen at the two mills still in operation in the county. Pembrokeshire was once famed for its quilting, but the advent of commercially-made bedspreads saw the craft die out in the 1920s.

In recent decades there has been a revival of interest in crafts and craftsmanship in Pembrokeshire - a reflection of a widespread trend away from bland, factory-produced goods and a growing appreciation of small scale craft makers whose work displays both individuality and a high degree of workmanship. In Pembrokeshire this has seen a revival of many of the traditional crafts such as pottery, cheese-making, dyeing, hand-weaving, candle-making and wood-turning, while willows are once again being grown and harvested in the county for basket-weaving.

To complement these traditional rural crafts there are many craft makers now working in the county whose work is purely artistic and decorative. These include jewellers, sculptors in wood, metal and stone, slate and driftwood artists, textile designers and calligraphers. Many of these artists take their inspiration from the intricate designs of the Celts who were among Pembrokeshire’s earliest craftsmen.