LLawhaden Castle - Pembrokeshire, Wales.
N 51° 49.312 W 004° 47.887
30U E 376073 N 5742754
Llawhaden Castle (Castell Llanhuadain) is a medieval fortified Palace for the Bishop of St Davids. Located in the Pembrokeshire village of Llawhaden, 8 miles east of Haverfordwest, in South Wales.
Waymark Code: WMVHW7
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/23/2017
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Castell Llanhuadain a fortified palace of the bishops of St Davids, first created as an earth mound ringwork in the twelfth century, totally rebuilt in stone mainly in the fourteenth century.
The Historic marker giving the following info about the Castle, stands near the main entrance.
"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. 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: (
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