Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It functions as the county's primary industrial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most heavily populated urban area in Pembrokeshire. Nevertheless, in accordance with the 2011 Census, the town has a permanent population of around 12042 people, which is a slight reduction from the 13367 residents recorded in the 2001 Census. The town has actually been English-speaking for centuries, however due to the fact that the town markets traded the products of Welsh farmers to the north and east, there has constantly been a substantial Welsh-speaking prominence and the air of a 'frontier' town. The residential area of Prendergast looks to have originated as an extramural Welsh dormitory, dating from the times when all farming trade had to travel through the borough, and the afraid Normans prior to the destruction of Anglo-Norman power in 1136 aimed to prevent 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 serve as Pembrokeshire's primary business and retail centre. Recent years have seen the development of the river-side shopping centre. More recently still there has been considerable retail advancement in the residential area of Withybush on the borders of the town, with the opening of a number of big commercial chain stores. Haverfordwest is around 6 miles (10 kilometres) miles east of the village of Broad Haven, part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Britain's only coastal national park, which tempts great numbers of tourists each year. The closest border of the park is at Hanton Bridge 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southeast. The town is also home to a number of football, rugby, cricket and kayaking clubs. For all your home renovations, be sure to identify reputable contractors in Haverfordwest to make certain of quality.