AT a well attended public meeting in Pembroke Town Hall last Saturday (Feb 2), the campaign for a statue of William Marshal was launched.
Organised by Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society, this was an opportunity for the community to come together to have their say and to examine the maquette (scale model) of the statue, which was presented by sculptor Harriet Addyman.
Society Chairman Linda Asman opened proceedings by making the case for William Marshal to be Pembroke’s next statue project, and stated that it is thanks to the Henry VII statue that this is taking place.
Having been impressed by the Henry VII statue, a very large donation of £25,000 was given to Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society by Wales Community CIC, conditional that it be invested in another statue commemorating one of Pembroke’s great figures.
Harriet Addyman then unveiled the maquette and welcomed comments and suggestions from the audience. There was overwhelming approval for Harriet’s model of William Marshal, commemorating the 800th anniversary of his death in 1219.
This statue will be a life size bronze figure seated on a horse. Then Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton eulogised Marshal as the “best knight that ever lived”. A successful tournament fighter and soldier, Marshal later became Earl of Pembroke, and set about turning the earth and wood fortification of Pembroke Castle into the stone keep we recognise today.
Whilst campaigning in France, Henry II fell out with his heir Richard, who consequently allied with Philip II of France against his father. In 1189, while covering the flight of Henry II, Marshal unhorsed the undutiful Richard in a skirmish.
William could have killed the prince but killed his horse instead, to make the point clear. He is said to have been the only man ever to unhorse Richard the Lionheart. Marshal was also central to the negotiations that led to Magna Carta and later served as Regent of the Kingdom of England, re-issuing Magna Carta under his own seal, thus ensuring its survival.
Pembroke Mayor, Cllr Linda Brown congratulated Harriet and opened the fundraising appeal. She thanked also the committee of Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society for organising the event and coffee morning – in all £303 was raised for the statue fund. As with the Henry VII statue campaign, this will be a community project and it is hoped that other groups and businesses will join in to help raise the £35,000 required. The Society is working in partnership with Pembroke Town Council which will be administering the statue fund.
An online fundraising appeal has been set up and donations can be made via either the Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society website or the Pembroke Town Council website.
For more information, please contact Linda Asman (History Society) at 075584 429224 and [email protected] or Suzie Thomas (Pembroke Town Clerk) at 01646 683092 and [email protected].
Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society meet again on Friday, February 15, at Monkton Church Hall at 7.30pm.
It is the Society’s AGM, which will be followed by a talk by Simon Hancock on ’A History of Haverfordwest in 30 Artefacts’. Non members are welcome – entry is free.
