Roose Hundred facts for kids
The Hundred of Roose was a historical area in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was originally known as the Welsh cantref of Rhos before the Normans arrived. This area officially became a "hundred" (a type of land division) between 1535 and 1542. Roose covered about 102 square miles (264 square kilometers). In the 12th century, English settlers moved into the area, making it an English-speaking part of Wales, often called Little England beyond Wales.
What's in a Name?
The name Roose comes from the older Welsh word Rhos. This word describes a piece of land that sticks out into the water, like a small peninsula. The area was called this because it was almost completely surrounded by water. To the east, it had the Western Cleddau river, to the south, Milford Haven, and to the west, St. Brides Bay. The English name "Roose" is a slightly changed version of the Welsh "Rhos."
A Look Back in Time
Historians are not completely sure about the history of the Rhos area before the Normans arrived. It was once thought that the main town, Haverfordwest, only started after the Norman conquest. However, discoveries by archaeologists suggest that the Romans might have been in western Wales, including near Haverfordwest, around 96 AD.
Haverfordwest was a good place for a town because it was easy to defend. It sat on a high spot overlooking a river crossing that ships could reach. This made it a strategic location. The main religious center for the area was likely one of the churches dedicated to Saint Ismael.
When the Normans arrived in the 12th century, the Hundred of Roose, with Haverfordwest as its main town, became the first place where English settlers built communities. Because of this, the area has been mostly English-speaking ever since. This is why it's known as the heart of "Little England beyond Wales."
After the Normans, the area was sometimes said to be divided into smaller parts called "commotes." These included the Haverfordwest commote and the Walwyn's Castle commote. However, historians believe that these were more like the Norman lordships (areas controlled by a lord) rather than traditional Welsh divisions. The small Cantref of Rhos probably wasn't truly divided into these smaller Welsh commotes.
See also
