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The Great Britain Guide

Castles · South Wales

Llawhaden Castle

Norman & medievalCadwPaid admission♿ Wheelchair: limited

Llawhaden Castle — Grade I listed castle in Llawhaden, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK.

Llawhaden Castle, castles in South Wales

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1.5 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Oakwood Park Station · 4.8 km
  • Paid entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access
Visit on cadw.gov.wales

About

Llawhaden Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1200. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by Cadw. Managed by Cadw. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed castle in Llawhaden, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK". Coordinates: 51.8224°, -4.7976°.

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Heritage listing

Llawhaden Castle (Welsh: Castell Llanhuadain) (grid reference SN 073175) is a ruined castle in Llawhaden, Pembrokeshire, Wales, 10 miles (16 km) east of Haverfordwest. A motte-and-bailey castle is thought to have previously occupied the site and the present structure was built by the bishops of the Diocese of St David in the 13th century. The castle was abandoned in the 16th century and some of the stone was removed for local building projects.

From Cadw under OGL v3.

From Cadw

Forgotten castle-cum-mansion that stays in the memoryIt’s worth taking the short detour off the busy A40 as you drive through Pembrokeshire to visit this little-known castle. Occupying a commanding location amongst serene forest and rolling farmland, Llawhaden’s unconventional mix of military and decorative features reveal its main purpose in life: that of a fortified mansion more than out-and-out castle, designed as a residence for the wealthy bishops of St Davids who liked their home comforts.

Read more on the official property page.

From the Wikipedia article

Llawhaden Castle (Welsh: Castell Llanhuadain) (grid reference SN 073175) is a ruined castle in Llawhaden, Pembrokeshire, Wales, 10 miles (16 km) east of Haverfordwest. A motte-and-bailey castle is thought to have previously occupied the site and the present structure was built by the bishops of the Diocese of St David in the 13th century. The castle was abandoned in the 16th century and some of the stone was removed for local building projects. The site is privately owned by the Lord of the Manor of Llawhaden and managed by Cadw.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

Llawhaden and its hinterland were lands owned by the Bishopric of the Diocese of St David, since at least the later years of the realm of Deheubarth. Following the Norman conquest of Deheubarth, these lands (of which Llawhaden and its hinterland were a detached part) became the Marcher Lordship of Dewisland, ruled by the Bishops; it was the only ecclesiastically-ruled Marcher Lordship. Marcher Lords had such great authority that they were almost sovereign. The first Norman Bishop, Bernard, constructed a castle on the site in the year that he was appointed - 1115. Only a moat and an earth bank from this period survive, although it is thought to have been a motte-and-bailey castle. The…

Description

The ruins of Llawhaden Castle stands on a hill overlooking the River Cleddau, The remaining ruins date from the early 13th century. It is surrounded by a ditch, which was designed to be only crossable by a drawbridge. The ruins are managed by Cadw, and are open to the public.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
51.8224, -4.7976
Parish
Llawhaden
Postcode
SA67 8HL
Parliamentary constituency
Mid and South Pembrokeshire
Established
1200
Nearest railway station
Oakwood Park Station4.8 km
Official site
cadw.gov.wales

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Llawhaden Castle?
Llawhaden Castle is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode SA67 8HL), in the parish of Llawhaden.
When was Llawhaden Castle built?
Built or established in 1200.
Who runs Llawhaden Castle?
Llawhaden Castle is operated by Cadw.
Is Llawhaden Castle a listed building?
Llawhaden Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
Does Llawhaden Castle charge admission?
Llawhaden Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
How do I get to Llawhaden Castle?
The nearest railway station is Oakwood Park Station, about 4.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SA67 8HL.