“...The King holds Pembroke right now...”
Pembroke Castle was under royal control several times in its history, when the Earls were disgraced or died without leaving male heirs. We know that during the first royal period, from 1100-1135, Pembroke was the head of a civil shire and Henry I had a mint here.
“...Why would you ever need such a big coin here?...”
Coinage was essential for collecting taxes, employing craftsmen and paying servants. Almost all coins minted in Britain at this time were silver pennies and shillings. Gold coins were not minted in Pembroke.
“...That was a narrow escape...”
Henry I suspected his moneyers were cheating him, so he summoned them to Winchester one Christmas. Their coins, which were identified from their unique maker’s mark, were tested for weight and purity. Those whose coins failed – two thirds of the moneyers present - were mutilated as a punishment. Our moneyer suggests that Gilopatric may have been among the fortunate third whose coins passed the test.