Milford Haven History
Year  Event
850Viking Raids on Milford Haven start
878The viking Hubba winters his fleet in Milford Haven
1100St Davids Church in Hubberston was founded during the 1100s.
1170Adam de Roche founded the Benedictine priory called Hubberston Priory- in Lower Priory- Milford Haven
1180Dedication of the Thomas a Becket beacon chapel on the Rath- Milford Haven. (Fully restored in the 1930s)
1200Milford Haven area was referred to as Millfyth by historian George Owen during the 1200s
1348Black Death (The Plague strikes Hakin)
1405French mercenaries arrive at Milford Haven to assist Owain Glyndwr they go on to set fire to Haverfordwest
1642During the Civil War- the royalist Earl of Carberry attack on Pembroke fails when he findS the Parliamentry fleet in Milford Haven
1649Oliver Cromwell sets off for Ireland from Milford Haven
1782Sir William Hamilton inherited Hubberston and Pill
1787Regular Mail Coach established linking Hubberston to London
1790Act of Parliament granted right to establish a port on land at Hubberston and Pill
1790Founding of Milford Haven by Sir William Hamilton - On 9th June- an Act of Parliament was passed which gave rise to the founding of the port.
1791The Pill to Haverforwest Road is administered as a Turnpike Trust with a Toll Gate at Castle Terrace
1792Greville persuaded Quaker Whalers from Nantucket to settle in Milford Haven. The Quakers had emigrated to America to escape religious persecution- hence they had experience of building new towns from scratch.
1796Navy Board starts building ships near Hubberston Pill. Ships built here include Milford- Lavinia and Nautilus
1797A Customs Bonded Store was built on Milford Docks. This was later extended on both sides and is now the Museum
1797The Navy Board establish Milford Dockyard to build warships
1797Whale Oil Warehouse built Milford Haven
1800The New Inn was built in Hamilton Terrace- Milford Haven. (Now known as the Lord Nelson Hotel)
1801Building starts on St Katherines Church in Milford Haven
1802Nelson visits Milford Haven and declares it one of the finest harbours ever seen
1802The New Inn in Milford Haven was renamed the Lord Nelson Hotel after Nelsons visit
1804Founding of the Milford Artillery Company
1806The extensions which form the sides of Milford Museum were built
1808St Katherines Church- Milford Haven- completed
1809Work Abandoned on the Greville Observatory Milford Haven (Part of the College of King George III)
1810Many Quakers returned to America. Demand for Whale Oil was falling due to Gas Lamps replacing Whale Oil lamps in the cities.
1811Opening of the Friends Meeting House in Milford Haven
1816Original Bethesda Baptist Church extended
1821King George IV visits Milford Haven twice in 4 days!(each time taking refuge from a tempest)
1831Weslyan Chapel built in Milford Haven (Wesleyan Court now stands on the site)
1855Date on the Foundation Stone of Hubberston National Primary School
1857Police Station opened in Faulke Street- Milford Haven
1858Opening of the wooden Castle Pill Bridge- known as Black Bridge because it was coated in protective tar.
1859The stepping stones crossing the pill between Milford Haven and Hakin are replaced by a wooden toll bridge
1860Start of building work at Hubberston Fort (some accounts putthis in 1858)
1863Hubberston Fort completed for a cost of £87-000
1863The Railway arrives in Milford Haven
1874Formation of the Milford Haven Docks Company
1875The steam ship Great Eastern comes to Milford Haven for a refit after laying Transatlantic Cables
1876Creation of the Port Sanitary Authority (now known as the Milford Haven Port Authority)
1877Opening of the North Road Board School in Milford Haven
1879Opening of the Baptist Chapel in North road- Milford Haven
1887Wooden Toll Bridge from Hakin to Milford Haven was replaced by an Iron Toll Bridge
1888Flooding of Milford Docks (Project cost £1-500-000)
1889Transatlantic Passenger Ship City of Rome arrives in Milford with Barnam Circus
1891Milford Haven recognised as a Parish. Previously it was a suburb of Steynton Parish
1894Formation of Milford Haven Urban District Council
1898Great Western Railway extended into Milford Haven Docks
1902Opening of the Methodist Chapel in Priory Road- Milford Haven
1907Extension to St Katherines Church in Milford Haven
1908Building of first Smoke House Milford Haven - to support the fishing industry
1909Opening of the Fire Station in Dartmouth Street- Milford Haven
1909Tolls finally abolished on the bridge between Milford Haven and Hakin
1910Opening of the Tabernacle in Charles Street- Milford Haven
1914Arrival of the Belgium Fishermen Refugees in Milford Haven
1924Dedication of the War Memorial in Milford Haven
1926Milford Haven electrified (The first town in Wales to be electrified)
1930Construction of the Milford Haven sewage system
1930Restoration of Thomas a Becket Chapel on the Rath begins
1931Construction of Milford Haven Central School
1931Hakin School becomes a junior school as older pupils go to Grammar or Central School
1933Iron bridge between Hakin and Milford Haven replaced by a concrete one. Convoy of 8 Steam Rollers cross in close formation to prove that a bridge made from concrete is safe
1933Royal visit to Milford Haven
1935Building work started on the Royal Naval Armament Depot. (Often called the Mine Depot)
1936First Haven oil spill from the Banda Sharpur who was stranded on Dale Beach
1939Milford Haven Fire Station moved to the Town Hall
1939Opening of Milford Haven Mine Depot
1939Outdoor Swimming Pool on The Rath opened
1939Town Hall started service. (There has never been an opening ceremony)
1940German Navy start dropping Mines in the Haven
1944Seebees (American Naval Construction Unit) build temporary hospital near Hubberston Fort to accept the casualties expected during the D-day Landings
1950Memorial Garden given to Milford Haven Urban District Council by the Welcome Home and Memoral Fund Committee
1957Construction works starts on the Esso Refinery in Milford Haven
1958Founding of the Milford Haven Conservancy Board
1959First Meeting of the Milford Haven Round Table
1960Esso Portsmouth explodes while alongside the Esso jetty in Milford Haven
1960Opening of Esso- the first Milford Haven Oil Refinery
1960Opening of the BP Jetty
1962First Annual Carnival organised by Milford Haven Round Table
1964Official opening of Texaco Refinery by the Queen
1964Opening of Milford Haven Grammar School in Steynton Road
1966Milford Haven Fire Station moved to Yorke Street
1967Torrey Canyon Oil Spill (Tanker was on route to Milford Haven)
1968Opening of Gulf Oil Refinery
1968Royal Family visit Milford Haven for Opening of Gulf Refinery
1971Amoco Oil Refinery building started
1973Amoco Oil Refinery (now Elf/Total/Murco) came on-line
1973Opening of The Meads Sports Centre with its Indoor Swimming Pool
1977Opening of the Torch Theatre
1977The Astoria Cinema in Milford Haven becomes a bingo hall
1978Filming of The Onedin Line television series in the Haven
1983Amoco Oil Refinery Fire (involved 150 firemen!)
1983Closure of the Esso Oil refinery
1986Conservancy board became the Port Authority
1987Outdoor Swimming Pool on The Rath closed
1988Milford Haven Grammar School went Comprehensive and became Milford School
1989Closure of the Royal Naval Armament Depot
1990Approximate opening of the Thornton Business Park
1990Milford Haven celebrated 200th anniversary with visit by Princess Alexandra
1990Opening of the Water Gardens on The Rath by Margaret Thatcher
1991Closure of the Milford Haven Royal Naval Armament Depot
1991Construction of the new Fish Market on Milford Docks
1991Opening of Milford Marina by the Duke of York
1991The Tall Ships Race started at Milford Haven
1992Unveiling of the Fisherman Tribute statue on the Rath
1996Sea Empress oil tanker - spills it cargo causing environmental disaster
1997Opening of the Seal Hospital
1998Fish market extended to 3 times its original size
1998Opening of the current bridge between Hakin and Milford Haven
1999Opening of the Electronic Fish Auction on Milford Docks.
2000Blockade of Elf and Texaco Refineries as Truck Drivers protest over rising fuel prices
2000First DigitalDan web site- (dedicated to Milford Haven-) goes on-line
2000Opening of MITEC (Part of Pembrokeshire College based in Milford Docks)
2001Opening of the Phoenix Bowl
20023 Cruise Ships visit Milford Haven
2002First Milford Haven Round Table Firework Spectacular detonated from the Sea Front
2002Milford Haven Annual Carnival destination moved from Pill Field to Marble Hall
2003First of the big Street Fairs takes over Hamilton Terrace- Milford Haven
2003Milford Haven Annual Carnival Magazines replaced by Carnival Raffle Tickets
2003Milford Haven Town Council web site goes on-line
2003Permission granted for LPG gas facilities at Petroplus and Esso
2004LPG Regassification Plant construction work starts at South Hook and Waterston