Regency Destinations: Tenby

The seaside town of Tenby, in Pembrokeshire, Wales lies within the Carmathen Bay and features miles of sandy beaches, medieval town walls, and the added attraction of the sea for bathing by Regency upper classes.  By 1806, Tenby had its sea-bathing operation in full swing, inspired the investments of local merchant and politician Sir William Paxton, and executed by James Grier and Samuel Pepys Cokerrell.

 

Narberth 7 miles Evans Warner TENBY or Dinbych y Pysgod in the hundred of Narberth Pembrokeshire a place perhaps unequalled for the beauty of it's bay and convenience of sea bathing The town stretches along the E and w sides of an irregularly formed peninsula rising above the sea in bold and craggy precipices Tenby from an important fortress and a port of considerable commer cial consequence had become a poor neg lected fishing town Hence the spirit trade has not destroyed many remains

former times It's attractions however as a delightful residence has rescued it from oblivion In the year 1790 the place was almost deserted but since that time it has become a favourite resort to the fashion able and luxurious To the painter's eye the beautifully coloured masses of rock the various effects of light and shade pro duced by many bays and promontories specimens of singular architecture and the entrance and departure of vessels into the harbour are objects which prove high ly interesting the naturalist will be en gaged by the produce of the rocks the sands and shores and he who finds a gratification in tracing the origin and pro gress of his rude forefathers may here find ample employment in various frag ments and inscriptions INNS Shaw's Hotel Jenkins's hotel the Lion the Ball These places afford the best accommodations to families and temporary residents Good private lodg ings may be had in every part of the town also entire houses ready furnished In ad dition to weekly assemblies there are at Tenby a theatre bowling green billiard table a public card assembly room and an excellent circulating library where the London papers may be seen Saddle hors es may be hired on easy terms at several places in the town but carriages or post chaises cannot be procured nearer than PM Narberth Tavernspite or Pembroke The only public conveyance from London is the Milford mail through Narberth dis tant from Tenby 10m every day about 2 There is also a coach through Glo cester and Brecon as far as Caermarthen three times a week The season here commences in May and continues till the latter end of October Tenby may certain ly be considered a most delightful summer retreat and is every year increasing in publicity and convenience The town is governed by a mayor town clerk justice a council and an unlimited number of aldermen and burgesses who in conjunc tion with the boroughs of Pembroke and Whiston return one member to parlia ment Quarterly courts of Sessions are held The town is indebted to the spirit and liberality of sir Wm Paxton for having remedied the defect of want of water The worthy knight purchased a considerable property in the town part of the ancient possessions of the Whites and the many TENBY 1278 improvements that he has made evince held May 4 Whit Tuesday July 31 Oct a partiality for the place The most con 2 Dec 4 The Quay is generally well spicuous instance of his liberality is the erection of the Public Baths after the de signs of mr Cockerell This building was constructed for the purpose of supplying visitors with the most convenient means of bathing either for health or pleasure in all seasons and during any hour The lined with vessels and the whole seems to bespeak an air of opulence The Vieros from Tenby are various pleasing and di versified The N E embraces the whole of Caermarthen Bay including part of the Pembrokeshire coast from Tenby to Eare Wear the whole of the Caermarthenshire water of large reservoirs is changed every coast from Eare Wear to the Burry river tide whence the different Baths are sup and part of the Glamorganshire coast from plied The building is inclosed and roof the Burry to the Worm's head The dis ed One swimming bath is appropriated tance across is from 15 to 25m A line of to the ladies and another is for gentlemen slate and limestone cliffs varying from 100 with dressing rooms to each and four to 200 feet in height extends w from the private cold baths for single persons Sev town forming numerous small bays and eral warm and vapour baths with dressing promontories till bending z it terminates rooms tempered with warm air and a nearly 2m off at Monkstone point Be cupping room are fitted up with the latest yond this point the coast again recedes and improvements Bed rooms are provided forms the bay Sandisfoot The coast is in the bathing house for invalids A hand seen next at Amroth and stretching E it some room for the bathers their friends retires from sight towards the Burry and and company to assemble in commands a the low parts of Gower The Caermar view of the sea and harbour it is provid thenshire Van and other mountains break ed with refreshments so as to form a fash the horizon at the distance of 40m The ionable morning lounge An excellent Aberafon Hills near Neath and the smoke carriage road leads to the Bath house and from copper works beyond Swansea are there is a spacious vestibule for servants visible and in clear weather the town to wait in The building is pleasantly situated adjoining the Castle hill on the outside of the harbour Within appears the busy scene of traffic without the varying expanse of ocean The bathing machines are the property of the innkeep ers the terms 1s each time and 6d the guide The water is always remarkably clear and the bottom excellent The Trade of Tenby consists of coal and culm and the oyster and trawle fisheries The first is carried on by vessels from 30 to 150 tons burthen which convey coal and culm to various places in the Bristol Irish and British channels They take in their car goes chiefly at Sandersfoot at 3m distant and castle of Cidwelly Beyond Penclawd the land swells more pleasingly and ter minates in the Worm's head Further on the Devonshire mountains are faintly dis tinguishable at 3 leagues distance On the other side Caldey Island and St Mar garet's Island from the w horn of Caer marthen Bay These continue the horizon to Giltar Point 2m w of Tenby On the land side are the church and village of Penally Norris's Tenby tectural remains of this district are numer The archi ous Tenby we have LLAUGHARNE 15m LLAN Within the distance of 20m from STEPHAN 19m KIDWELLY 20m and MANORBEER 5m on the shore and upon In the year 1803 there was cleared out at the different inlets of Milford Haven we the Custom house 539 vessels their car have Carey 7m Pembroke 10m Benton goes amounting to about 45,000 tons The 10m Llanhaden 13m Haverfordwest oyster fishery yields a supply of from 30 Castle and Priory 20m Hubberstone to 40 thousand in a day They are chiefly Priory 18m Narberth Castle 10m Lam shipped for Liverpool and Bristol others phey court 7m Picton Castle 16m Stack are pickled and sent in jars to London and pole Court 15m other places The trawle fishery carried on walled with gates that leading to Caer The town has been from April to Oct by about 15 smacks of 30 marthen is the most remarkable being en tons each afford an abundant supply to the circled with an embattled but open roofed various surrounding markets and to those tower after the manner of that at Pem of Bristol and Bath The Markets are on broke The extent of the wall on the land Wednesday and Saturday The Fairs are side which encloses only a part of the 1277 Nicholson, G. (1813). The Cambrian Traveller’s Guide: In Every Direction; Containing Remarks Made During Many Excursions, in the Principality of Wales, and Bordering Districts, Augmented by Extracts from the Best Writers. United Kingdom: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown.

Tenby, from visitor accounts, had the sea, scenic visits, entertainments and new accommodations, and all the quaintness of a fishing village Regency travelers might have wanted.

perform before we entered Tenby The distant opening view of this town as it meets the eye from various points of elevation which the road commands is altogether spirited it rises rises boldly upon the brow of an aspiring headland hemmed in by marshes and in part surrounded by the sea
century is now the least respectable Its streets are narrow steep and rugged and the habitations very indifferent This is the part chiefly occupied by petty shop keepers mariners and the labouring part of the com munity In the upper town if it may so be named are many genteel houses fitted up for the reception of strangers who resort hither in great numbers during the summer season for the benefit of sea bathing or to enjoy the company of their friends and the amusements of the place The best houses are situated upon the brow of an abrupt pre cipice the windows of which command the prospect of the bay in an admirable point of view Donovan, E. (1805). Descriptive Excursions Through South Wales and Monmouthshire: In the Year 1804, and the Four Preceding Summers. United Kingdom: author.

Tenby’s popularity as a health resort, as well as a location for geological and botanical study, would continue through the Victorian era with new walkways being constructed to facilitate seaside rambles including by nannies and prams.

Today, it remains attractive for its history, sandy beaches, and natural beauty as well as other tourist amenities.

This website has a variety of first hand tourist accounts of Tenby for those interested in learning more: Tenby 1800-1900 | Early Tourists in Wales

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