Wiston Castle - Ruin - Wales, Great Britain.
N 51° 49.632 W 004° 52.258
30U E 371068 N 5743474
Wiston Castle (Welsh: Castell Cas-wis) is a motte and bailey castle in the Pembrokeshire village of Wiston in South Wales.
Waymark Code: WMHTA6
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/12/2013
Views: 1
Well-preserved motte-and-bailey castle, probably begun by the Flemish settler, Wizo, sometime in the first half of the twelfth century. Remains of the later stone shell-keep still survive.
(I love that name: (Wizo The Flem)
I counted the steps as I climbed up to take photos for this waymark, there are 49.
"Wiston Castle is a 12th century earthwork motte and bailey fortress, founded by Wizo, the Fleming. The site was originally an Iron Age enclosure and an early town borough was contained within the large bailey. After its captured and destruction by the Welsh in 1220, William Marshal the younger founded the stone castle and located the borough outside the bailey. The motte encased by a ditch, supports the remains of a two storey 16-sided shell keep and the large oval bailey, is defended by a high rampart and ditch." Text Source: (
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Wiston Castle was abandoned during the thirteenth century and is one of the best examples of its type in Wales. The castle is situated opposite St Mary Magdalene Church and there are approximately 75 steps that go up to it. It is in the care of Cadw.
The castle was founded by a Flemish knight called Wizo, from which the castle gets its name. The Welsh captured Wiston on 1147 and 1193, but on both occasions it was quickly recaptured. It was demolished in 1220 by Llywelyn the Great but restored by William Marshall the younger, Earl of Pembroke. The shell keep on the summit of the Motte is typical of the Norman stonework of the time.
The castle was abandoned after Sir John Wogan built Picton Castle at the end of the 13th century.
It is maintained by Cadw and freely accessible." Text Source: (
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"CADW: Welsh - Historic Monuments conserves, protects and presents the built heritage of Wales and undertakes the Secretary of State's statutory responsibilities for securing all ancient monuments for the future, for grant-aiding rescue archaeology work and for offering grants to owners of historic buildings." Text Source: (
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