Milford Haven is one of Wales' most distinctive coastal towns. It is a deep water harbour, transformed by industry, but still defined by its maritime character.

Situated on the northern shore of the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, it is west of Haverfordwest and near Neyland, Pembroke Dock, and the rural parishes of Steynton and Hubberston. Today, it has a population of roughly 13,000 people, known for its port, its waterfront, and its layered history.

Milford Haven occupies one of the finest harbours in Europe, a long, narrow inlet formed by drowned river valleys, creating deep, sheltered waters that have attracted settlers, traders, and navies for centuries. The town spreads across the slopes. above the waterway, with its modern centre, marina, and docks forming a continuous waterfront. Nearby communities, such as Neyland, Liddeston, Hubberston, and Steynton, historically provided labour, farmland, and small harbours that fed into Milford Haven's growth.

The town's identity has always been maritime, including shipbuilding, fishing, naval activity, and later oil and gas have had their effect on Milford Haven's economy and culture.

Evidence of prehistoric habitation exists throughout Pembrokeshire, although Milford Haven itself emerged later as a planned settlement.

The waterway was known to ancient mariners, including Phoenician and Roman traders, and medieval chroniclers noted its sheltered quality.

Its name is likely derived from mill-ford, a reference to a ford near a mill, and the town's geographical features have long made the area a haven.

However, the modern town's foundation came much later, in the late 18th century, when Sir William Hamilton and his nephew Charles Francis Greville envisioned a new town and port. Greville laid out Millford Haven in 1790 as a Georgian planned community, with a grid of streets and terraces overlooking the harbour. He planned to create a major whaling port and naval base, drawing inspiration from American coastal towns.

Milford Haven's history occurred in stages, and is inseparable from the sea.

Between the 1790s and mid-1800s, Greville attracted experienced whaling families from Nantucket and New Bedford, establishing a transatlantic whaling industry. Milford Haven became a centre for whale oil processing, ship provisioning, and maritime trade.

The Admiralty considered Milford Haven as a potential naval base due to its deep waters and strategic location. Although it never became a primary base, naval activity and shipbuilding contributed significantly to the town's economy.

Milford Haven developed into a major fishing port in the 19th to early 20th century, particularly for herring and later for trawling fleets. Shipyards along the waterfront built and repaired vessels, sustaining employment and local engineering skills.

The railway connected Milford Haven to the wider UK network in 1863, enabling rapid transport of fish and goods. This helped establish the town as one of Britain's leading fishing ports by the early 20th century.

The most transformative step was in the mid-20th century, when the deep-water harbour attracted major oil companies. Refineries at Pembroke and Milford Haven, along with large tanker terminals, turned the waterway into one of Europe's key energy hubs. Later, liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities and fuel storage depots continued this legacy.

Milford Haven's economy has evolved through several dominant sectors. Historically, the town depended on whaling and the maritime trade, fishing fleets and fish processing, shipbuilding and engineering, railway-supported commerce, and naval provisioning and occasional military use. Its modern economy is more diverse, including energy and petrochemicals (LNG terminals, fuel storage, and port operations), port and logistics (the Milford Haven Port Authority manages one of the UK's busiest ports by tonnage), tourism and leisure (the marina, waterfront restaurants, boat tours, and coastal paths attract visitors), retail and services (the town centre and waterfront developments support local employment), and marine renewables (increasing interest in tidal and floating wind projects reflects the waterway's potential for future energy innovation).

Significant structures and places of interest in Milford Haven include the Milford Haven Marina and Waterfront, a modern focal point with moorings, cafés, shops, and the Torch Theatre, a cultural centre known for film, drama, and community arts. Historic docklands once supported its fishing fleets and shipbuilding. Many of these structures have been repurposed, blending the town's industrial heritage with contemporary uses.

Located in the Old Customs House, the Milford Haven Museum explores the town's whaling and fishing heritage.

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