CASTLES
Did You Know That Wales Is the 'Castle Capital of the World'?
With over 600 castles scattered throughout the country, Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe. Not all are still standing - 100 are ruins or restored buildings and the remainder are left as mounds and ditches. Wales's ancient history has left a wealth of Iron Age hill forts, Roman ruins and castles.
A selection of castles are featured, and do follow the links below for more information and more detailed lists:
Pembroke
The largest privately owned castle in Wales, Pembroke was the original family seat of the Earldom of Pembroke. It is famous for being the birthplace of Henry VII.
The site has been occupied since the Roman period, or even earlier, and has been listed since 1951. The castle has been used for numerous film locations, most recently Me Before You in 2016.
Look out for special events, particularly in the school holidays.
Drive time from Trenewydd: 57 minutes
Address: Pembroke, SA71 4LA
Telephone: 01646 681510
Picton
Known as Pembrokeshire’s finest stately home, Picton Castle boasts forty acres of beautiful woodland gardens and grounds, including a walled garden, Welsh Owl garden, two Art galleries, and a restaurant.
Check the website for its extensive events calendar; including the popular Fairy Door Trail. Picton also houses two Escape Rooms, so if you wanted to have a go at one of these adventure games, why not now?
Drive time from Trenewydd: 34 minutes
Address: Letterston, Haverfordwest SA62 4AS
Cilgerran
Perched on a craggy protrusion over the River Teifi, these ruins sit where the castle would have had a view of both the Teifi and seagoing ships.
Cilgerran dates back to 1164, and after a chequered history gradually fell into ruin when the last family to occupy it in the early 17th Century built a new house nearby.
Its picturesque setting made it a destination of choice for 18th Century tourists, who could visit by boat from Cardigan.
Drive time from Trenewydd: 11 minutes
Address: Cardigan SA43 2SF
Telephone: 01239 621339
Cardigan
The castle sits within nearby Cardigan, so it is easy to include a visit while wandering the streets of this picturesque town.
The castle overlooks the River Teifi, and dates from the late 11th Century. After falling into disrepair the castle was restored in the early 2000s and opened to the public in 2015.
Enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant, and keep an eye on their calendar for live music, comedy, and other events throughout the year.
Drive time from Trenewydd: 7 minutes
Address: Green Street, Cardigan, SA43 1JA
Telephone: 01239 615131
Carew
This castle and tidal mill dates back to the end of the 11th century, and it was built on an Iron Age settlement. The original fortification was replaced by a stone Castle.
Sir Nicholas de Carew was responsible for much of the redevelopment in the 14th century. The Castle is now a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its bat population and rare species of plants.
Major renovation in 2013 included a new visitor centre and shop.
Drive time from Trenewydd: 48 minutes
Address: Castle Ln, Carew, Tenby, SA70 8SL