At a very well attended public meeting in Pembroke Town Hall on Saturday the campaign for a statue of William Marshal was launched.

Organised by Pembroke and 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 William Marshal 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 and 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.

Harriet has done Pembroke proud with the Henry VII statue and there was overwhelming approval for her magnificent model of William Marshal.

This statue will be life size, a stunning bronze figure seated on a horse as befits a man who was a legend in his own lifetime: tournament champion, warrior, Regent of England and hero of Magna Carta. Dubbed the Greatest Knight, William Marshal is very much part of Pembroke’s history as he was Earl of Pembroke.

Pembroke Mayor, Clr. Linda Brown congratulated Harriet and opened the fundraising appeal. She thanked also the committee of Pembroke and 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 wide 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 and Monkton Local History Society website or the Pembroke Town Council website.

For more information, please contact Linda Asman (History Society) on 075584 429224 or by email at: [email protected] You can also contact Suzie Thomas (Pembroke Town Clerk) on 01646 683092 or email: [email protected]

Pembroke and Monkton Local History Society meet again on Friday, February 15 at Monkton Church Hall at 7.30 pm.

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.