The history of Britain has been shaped by those who have invaded this
small isle: the Romans, Vikings and Norman Conquest all molded our
society and culture. Surprisingly, the last time mainland Britain was
ever invaded was not Duke William's victory at Hastings in 1066 or even
the Bloodless Revolution of 1688. It was, in fact, in February 1797 when
1,400 drunken and out-of-control French soldiers from the Legion Noire
landed on the north coast of Pembrokeshire near Fishguard.
With 'Britain's Last Invasion' dive in to the Battle of Fishguard, a
military invasion of Great Britain by Revolutionary France. The
little-known 'invasion' consisted mainly of drunken Frenchmen rampaging
around the area, burning churches and terrorizing the locals. The role
and courage of the women of Fishguard is revealed: when the men fled,
the women stayed fast. Learn how the town cobbler Jemima Nicholas -
armed with only a pitchfork - captured twelve enemy soldiers.
The attempted invasion lasted just three days, but had ramifications
that we are still dealing with today. Following the attempt, the
government recognized the need to strengthen the British fleet, a policy
that lasted for over a hundred years and almost certainly helped prevent
Napoleon's later planned invasion.
