St Mary's Church

St Mary the Virgin stands in the centre of Pembroke, a stone-built church with a slate roof. It belongs to the Anglican Communion and has been part of the Monkton Rectorial Benefice since 2004. The present building dates from the 13th century, though earlier traces of a church may lie beneath. Two original windows survive in the south wall, while the rest were replaced in the 19th century. The tower at the north-east corner belongs to the mid-14th century and holds eight bells, installed between 1763 and 1897. The church’s font is late Norman, and tradition holds that Henry VII was baptised here before he left for the throne. A west porch added in 1926 now serves as the main entrance from Northgate Street and Main Street. After falling into disrepair in the late 19th century, the church closed in 1875 and was restored by John Loughborough Pearson, reopening four years later. Its pulpit arrived the following year, and in 1951 it gained Grade I listed status for its architectural and historical importance. Inside, the church offers a spacious nave and a restored interior shaped by Pearson’s 19th-century work. The choir vestry occupies the former south doorway, and the tower’s ringing chamber can be reached by a narrow stair. Outside, the churchyard walls and Barnard’s Tower carry Grade II listings, as do the south-west gates and the surrounding railings added in 2005.