LLawhaden Castle - Pembrokshire - Wales.
N 51° 49.312 W 004° 47.887
30U E 376073 N 5742754
Llawhaden Castle (Castell Llanhuadain) is a castle in the Pembrokeshire village of Llawhaden and 8 miles east of Haverfordwest, in southwest Wales.
Waymark Code: WMEYKR
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/23/2012
Views: 2
"Llawhaden began as an earth and timber castle in the 12th century, the prize of the Norman Bishop Bernard. Over time, Llawhaden underwent several alterations as different bishops left their mark. Like many castles, this one sat high atop a hill. Like many castles, a deep ditch and earthen embankment formed the earliest outer defenses. They still give the castle a sense of power. And, like many earth and timber castles, the defenses were refortified with stone, in this case, in response to a siege led by the Welshman, the Lord Rhys, in the late 12th century.
In the 13th century, Bishop Thomas Bek (1280-93) made arguably the greatest impact at Llawhaden, when he established and expanded the village. Bek's work at the castle includes the complex hall block, with its kitchen and service rooms (buttery and pantry) and stone-vaulted undercrofts, and the bishop's elaborately adorned chambers above (complete with latrines!). Today, this sector of the castle is largely ruined, but still radiates the prestige of its occupant.
During the next century, the bishops added the twin-towered gatehouse, the most impressive structure at Llawhaden Castle. Looming directly over the dry ditch, its foreboding face would have intimidated anyone seeking entry. Although the exterior has been well preserved, the interior of the gatehouse is now disappointingly decayed." Source: (
visit link)
It was built by the bishops of the Diocese of St David between the 12th century and 14th century. The first castle on the site was constructed in 1115 by Bishop Bernard. Only the moat and the earth bank from this period survive. The vast majority of the ruins seen today date from the construction commissioned by Bishop Adam de Houghton between 1362 and 1389. This was much grander, with two suites of residences situated on the first floor. The gate house shown in the picture was probably added at a later date.[2]