FUEDS , murder and going on the run, the tale of the ‘black legend’ is a rather dark page of Pembrokeshire’s history.

It’s 200 years to the day that the last person was executed in the county.

William Roblin was hanged at Haverfordwest Castle on Easter Monday 1821 after shooting a former employee in the head.

Described as being possessed of a fiery temper and with a psychopathic rage, Roblin was also accused of the murder of an Irish hawker and linked to the body of an unknown female buried on the orchard of his farm ‘Deep Lake’ located just outside of Uzmaston.

With it being the 200th anniversary of the hanging, Dr Simon Hancock, curator of Haverfordwest museum is holding a talk on Roblin's life online tonight. Tickets are free and can be booked here.

On Roblin, Dr Hancock says: "The name of William Roblin is well known in the annals of Pembrokeshire’s criminal history.

"On Easter Monday, April 23, 1821 he was hanged at Haverfordwest Castle for the crime of murder. His victim was 23-year-old William Davies who had once been in the employ of the murderer.

"Thousands would have attended the execution of Roblin, the last person to be hanged in Pembrokeshire, one of three local men who suffered capital punishment in the county during the early nineteenth century

"This is a gripping and tragic story which was lived out in Pembrokeshire exactly two hundred years ago."

Born in 1776 to a poor farmer, an addiction to drink caused Roblin to be discharged from one employer to another.

Holding antipathy towards religion, trouble seemed to follow Roblin wherever he went. The ‘black legend’ was born out of a theory that he murdered his employer in Slebech in 1814 and stole his money.

Roblin would run an inn at his Deep Lake farm near Uzmaston where he also oversaw an ale house called ‘Home Bound’.

Home Bound was described as, “a veritable vortex sucking in vicious tales of murder and debauchery”. It was here that an Irish hawker visited and apparently was never seen again.

One day in 1820, heavily intoxicated, Roblin fell into an argument with a former employee of Deep Lake. William Davies was also inebriated when he confronted his former boss. The two argued over unpaid wages to the point it is said Roblin took his pistol and from near point blank range shot Davies in the side of the head.

The wound being described as “to the head, an inch wide and three inches deep,” Roblin went on the run. He would be pursed by Uzmaston parish constables assisted by special constables – which gives a new perspective to position still run in Dyfed-Powys police.

After four days in hiding Roblin handed himself in on September 4, 1820. Described as being in, “utter despair and desperation” he was committed to Haverfordwest Gaol on September 5, 1820.

Roblin was initially charged with battery since Davies was still clinging to life.

Davies eventually dying after three weeks suffering from his wounds, Roblin’s charge was changed to murder.

Roblin denied the charge which was heard at Old Guildhall at the top of High Street near St Mary’s Church.

It took three days to convict Roblin to be hanged, receiving no legal representation and no right to appeal.

Roblin attempted to commit suicide hiding iron pins in a sleeve of his jacket with the intention of piercing his veins in different places and bleeding to death.

His execution was fixed for Monday, April 23, 1821 at six o’clock in the morning. It is strongly believed Roblin was hanged at the castle gate with thousands of people watching from the back of houses in Dark Street.

“A very large concourse of people had gathered to witness Roblin’s execution, the first in the town for perhaps ten years.

“The drop fell and after a few strong throes of apparent pain had passed all that remained of William Roblin was the ghastly spectacle of his inanimate corpse suspended between heaven and earth.”