Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

Hill Street


Albany Chapel, Hill Street

Hill Street became a popular street during the 18th and 19th centuries where many of the county’s landed gentry chose to build their town houses.

Originally called King Street, it was the first street to have proper pavements in 1804 which became known as The King Street Flags and it became a popular pastime for Georgians to promenade up and down King Street Flags on a Sunday afternoon/evening, showing off whatever finery they might have to wear.

Immediately on your left is the Albany Chapel. This was founded in 1638 by the first Non Conformist group of worshippers in Haverfordwest. William Owen was baptised here in 1797 and later in the 19th century remodelled the chapel.

The building next along to the chapel and hall is the birthplace of General Sir Thomas Picton (1758-1815). The property, then the town house of the land owning family the Laugharnes, was being visited by Picton’s mother, from their family home just north of Haverfordwest, who then went into labour. The hero of many battles during the battles of the Peninsula Campaign during the Napoleonic Wars, Picton fell at Waterloo in 1815. Although a fighter and dependable military man, Picton stained his reputation during his governorship of Trinidad by authorising the torture of a thirteen year old girl (Luisa Calderon) who had been accused of theft.

On the other side of the road, the properties behind the railings formed the Baptist College during the last half of the 19th century which was used as an alternative higher education venue for that branch of Non Conformists.

Continuing down Hill Street towards Market Street, the property on your left, now a hotel, The Deblyn Hotel, was the first bank in the town in the very early 19th century.

Continue down Hill Street, passed Horns Lane (the name of which no one can throw any light on, and which leads into Dew Street), to...

Back          

Base map from openstreetmap.org

In which month was General Picton born? Tap to reveal answer.