The Last Invasion Country includes Fishguard, Goodwick and the Pencaer Peninsula where the French invasion of 1797 took place. The landscape and many existing buildings with links to that historic event are depicted in the Last Invasion Tapestry.

Jemima - image by Barrie Thomas

The Last Invasion Embroidered Tapestry

Making the tapestry - image by Barrie Thomas

The embroidered Tapestry was designed by Elizabeth Cramp RWS and worked by more than 70 stitchers as an award winning community project. It is internationally recognised as a major work of art that was initiated by Fishguard Arts Society as their contribution to the 1997 Bicentenary of the Last Invasion of Britain. The Tapestry’s format is similar to the Bayeux Tapestry which tells the story of the 1066 Norman Invasion. The Tapestry is 30.4 metres (100feet) long and 20 inches deep. 178 different colours of wool were used in the embroidery and over 40,000 hours went into the finely detailed stitching. In its first years of exhibition the Tapestry has been seen by over 150,000 people.

Elizabeth Cramp - image by Barrie Thomas

The images above from a DVD of the making of the tapestry by Barrie Thomas, which is for sale direct from him. Please phone 01348 872322 for details.

The Tapestry has a new home in the newly refurbished Town Hall in the Library gallery.

Opening times:

April – Sep

Mon – Wed, Fri, Sat 9.30 – 5.00

Thurs  9.30- 6.30

Sat 9.30 – 5.00

Oct – March

Mon – Wed, Fri 9.30 – 5.00

Thurs 9.30 – 6.30

Sat 9.30 – 1.00

Telephone no (library) 01437 776122

Entry to the gallery is free, however group visits need to be pre-booked.

Last Invasion

The Last Invasion of Britain was on 22nd February 1797 and was intended to divert British troops away from Ireland where the French planned a major attack. Some 1,400 French soldiers, led by Colonel William Tate, an American, landed at Carreg Wastad, near Fishguard. They pillaged farms and skirmished with local people. Jemima Nicholas, a Fishguard cobbler, allegedly captured 12 soldiers single-handedly. Meanwhile the Pembroke Yeomanry led by Lord Cawdor, marched overnight from Stackpole Court and the French surrendered on Goodwick sands on the third day. The French prisoners of war were held in Haverfordwest and then at Portsmouth in prison-hulks, before eventually being returned to France.

Tapestri Brodwaith Glaniad Y Ffrancod

Cynlluniwyd Tapestri Brodwaith y Glaniad gan Elizabeth Cramp RWS ac fe’I pwythwyd gan dros 70 o wragedd fel cywaith cymunedol noddedig. Derbyniodd gydnabyddiaeth ryngwladol fel celfyddydwaith pwysig a gychwynnwyd gan Gymdeiths Celfyddydau Abergwaun, sef eu cyfraniad hwy i ddathliadau Deucanmlwyddiant Glaniad y Ffrancod a gynhaliwyd ym 1997. Mae cynllun y Tapestri yn debyg i Dapestri Bayeux sy’n adrodd hanes Goresgyniad y Normaniaid ym 1066. 30.4 metr (100 troedfedd) o hyd a 20 modfedd o led yw mesuriadau’r Tapestri. Defnyddiwyd 178 o wahanol liwiau o wlân yn y brodwaith a threuliwyd dros 40,000 awr wrth y gwaith pwutho manwl a choeth. Yn ystod y flynyddoedd cyntaf o’r arddangosfa bu dros 150,000 o bobl yn ymweld â’r Tapestri.

Gwelir y Tapestri yn eu gartref newydd – sef yn galeri pwrpasol tu fewn Neuadd y Dref.   

Amserau agoriad:

Ebrill – Medi

Llun – Mercher, Gwener, Sat 9.30 – 5.00

Iau  9.30- 6.30

Sadwrn 9.30 – 5.00

Hydref – Mawrth

Llun – Mercher, Gwener 9.30 – 5.00

Iau 9.30 – 6.30

Sadwrn 9.30 – 1.00

Rhif ffon (llyfyrgell) 01437 776122

Mynediad an ddim – ddylau grwpiau gwneud trefniadau o flaen llaw.

Glaniad y Ffrancod

22ain Chwefror 1797 oedd dyddiad Goresgyniad Olaf Prydain a’r bwriad oedd dargyfeirio’r luuoedd Prydeinig o Iwerddon gan bod y Ffrancod yn cynllunio i ddwyn cyrch enfawr ra yr ynys. Glaniodd tua 1,400 o filwyr Ffrengig, o dan arweiniad yr Americanwr, Cyrnol William Tate, ger Carreg Gwastad, yn ymyl Abergwaun. Buont yn ysbeilio ffermydd ac yn ysgarmesu gyda thrigolion lleol. Yn ôl yr hanes, daliodd Jemina Nicholas, crydd o Abergwaun, 12 milwr heb gymorth un dyn byw. Yn y cyfamser, o dan arweiniad yr Arglwydd Cawdor, ymdeithiodd Iwmyn Penfro dros nos o Stackpole Court yn Ne Sir Benfro ac ar y trydydd dydd ildiodd y Ffrancod ar draethau Wdig. Cafodd y carcharorion o blith y Ffrancod eu carcharu yn Hwlffordd a Phenfro ac yna mawn carcharlongau yn Portsmouth, cyn cael eu dychwelyd ymhen amser i Ffrainc.