Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It functions as the county's primary business and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most heavily populated urban region in Pembrokeshire. However, according to the 2011 Census, the town has a permanent population of around 12042 people, which is a slim reduction from the 13367 residents documented in the 2001 Census. The town has been English-speaking for centuries, but given that the town markets traded the items of Welsh farmers to the north and east, there has always been a considerable Welsh-speaking influence and the air of a 'frontier' town. The residential area of Prendergast looks to have emerged as an extramural Welsh dormitory, dating from the times when all farming trade needed to pass through the district, and the fearful Normans prior to the destruction of Anglo-Norman power in 1136 attempted to avoid Welshmen bearing arms from entering within the castle walls after nightfall. In accordance with its status as a sub regional hub-town, Haverfordwest continues to act as Pembrokeshire's principal commercial and retail centre. Recent years have seen the development of the river-side shopping centre. More recently still there has actually been considerable retail advancement in the residential area of Withybush on the borders of the town, with the opening of a number of large commercial chain stores. Haverfordwest is approximately 6 miles (10 km) miles east of the village of Broad Haven, part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Britain's only coastal national park, which draws in countless travelers every year. The closest border of the park is at Hanton Bridge 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) southeast. The town is also home to a number of football, rugby, cricket and kayaking clubs. For all your home improvements, make certain to find reputable specialists in Haverfordwest to make certain of quality.