HAVERFORDWEST PRIORY

WITHOUT the town (says Tanner from Leland) was a priory of Black Canons before the year 1200, dedicated to St. Mary, and St. Thomas the Martyr, and liberally endowed, if not founded, by Robert de Haverford, lord of this place, who bestowed on it several churches and tithes within his barony, which were afterwards confirmed by King Edward the Third. This priory was valued by Henry VIII at £133 11s 1d. (Dugdale) and £135 6s d (Speed) and granted 38th of Henry VIII to Roger and Thomas Barlow.

About the beginning of this century a figure was digged up here, which seemed to represent a bishop, and is supposed to have been the effigy of David Cherbury, bishop of Dromore in Ireland, and arch-deacon of Brecknock, who by his last will, dated the 9th of November 1426, directed that his body should be interred here; and left a legacy towards re-building the cloisters of their priory. This view was drawn anno 1777