Haverfordwest Castle

the electoral ward covering central Haverfordwest

Haverfordwest Castle (Castell Hwlffordd) is a castle located in the town centre at Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, south Wales, located in a naturally defensive position at the end of a strong, isolated ridge. The castle was established during Norman times in 1120 but much of the architecture remaining today is dated to 1290. For centuries the castle was an English stronghold. There are several other notable castles in area; Wiston Castle lies 6 mile (10 km) to the northeast and Pembroke Castle lies 12 mile (19 km) to the south.

Pembrokeshire Records indicate that there was an Iron Age hill fort on the site of the castle although there is no physical evidence to suggest this on the present location. Haverfordwest was believed to have been a Danish settlement prior to the Norman conquest of West Wales in 1093/94. Pembrokeshire Records insist that the castle was actually originally built by Tancred the Fleming, husband of Gwladus (the aunt of Gerald of Wales), so the original medieval town and castle would have been Flemish not Norman.

The original castle is believed to have been first attacked (unsuccessfully) by Gruffydd ap Rhys, Prince of Deheubarth, in 1135 – 1136. In 1173 the castle had its first royal visit by Henry II of England who passed by the town on coming back from a trip to Ireland. In 1188 Gerald of Wales mentions visiting the castle with Archbishop Baldwin during his progress around Wales preaching for the Third Crusade that Richard I of England the Lion Heart led to the Holy Land.

By 1200, many of the original timber buildings had been replaced with the first stone buildings, including a rectangular north eastern tower to serve as the castle's keep.

By the 16th century, however, the castle had become dilapidated and subsequently was re fortified during the English Civil War. In 1644 Haverfordwest Castle is documented as being occupied by the Royalists, but they abandoned it on misinterpreting the noises of cows for a Parliamentary army. It was recaptured and held for the king for a year, who finally surrendered after the Battle of Colby Moor nearby. These letters were only unearthed in 1986 and are currently on display in the town museum. The building has subsequently been used as a police station and council offices. Today it houses the A museum. A cell door, leg irons, the original lock from the castle gate and numerous artifacts are on display. Today the castle is operated by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and is open to the public. In 2010 there were plans to put the prison building on the market, with new council offices being built in the Prendergast area of Haverfordwest. In January 2008 an extensive archaeological excavation was conducted at Haverfordwest Castle.

The original entrance to the castle lay on the west side, guarded by a gatehouse but no trace of this survives. Round towers are located on the north west and south west corners, and in the south east corner there is a square tower with an additional projecting turret. The south west and south east towers have three storeys, with the south east tower possessing a basement and postern gate which could serve as a counter attack during a siege. A large hall lies the south of the castle with great, high windows and scaling ladders. Little remains of the original medieval defences in the outer ward of the castle, although the extensive curtain wall has been upkept and still remains along with a considerable part of the north side, including a semicircular turret and a square tower to the east.