Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It represents the county's principal business and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most heavily populated urban region in Pembrokeshire. Nevertheless, according to the 2011 Census, the town has a permanent population of around 12042 people, which is a slim reduction from the 13367 inhabitants recorded in the 2001 Census. The town has been English-speaking for centuries, however due to the fact that the town markets traded the goods of Welsh farmers to the north and east, there has constantly been a considerable Welsh-speaking influence and the air of a 'frontier' town. The residential area of Prendergast seems to have emerged as an extramural Welsh dormitory, dating from the times when all farming trade needed to go 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 work as Pembrokeshire's primary commercial and retail centre. Recent years have seen the development of the river-side shopping centre. More recently still there has been significant retail advancement in the suburb of Withybush on the borders of the town, with the opening of a number of large commercial chain stores. Haverfordwest is roughly 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 countless visitors annually. The closest border of the park is at Hanton Bridge 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southeast. The town is also home to a variety of football, rugby, cricket and kayaking clubs. For all your home refurbishments, be sure to identify dependable professionals in Haverfordwest to make certain of quality.