Scheduled MonumentsWalesLlawhaden Castle
Medieval · Castle

Llawhaden Castle

Pembrokeshire, Wales
Cadw SAM PE024
Period
Medieval
Site type
Castle
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Llawhaden Castle is a medieval fortress located in Pembrokeshire, Wales, which served as a significant administrative and defensive stronghold for the Bishops of St Davids from the thirteenth century onwards. The castle comprises substantial remains of a stone-built structure set within a natural defensive position, featuring the characteristic elements of a medieval episcopal residence including domestic and fortified components. Originally established in the early thirteenth century, the castle was repeatedly modified and strengthened throughout the medieval period, reflecting its importance as a seat of ecclesiastical power in south-west Wales. The site preserves evidence of its multi-functional role as both a fortress and a centre of diocesan authority, with surviving masonry indicating the scale and sophistication of its medieval construction.

Llawhaden Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference PE024. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Llawhaden Castle?

Llawhaden Castle is a medieval fortress located in Pembrokeshire, Wales, which served as a significant administrative and defensive stronghold for the Bishops of St Davids from the thirteenth century onwards. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference PE024.

What period does Llawhaden Castle date from?

Llawhaden Castle dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a castle. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Llawhaden Castle?

Llawhaden Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is PE024.

What other scheduled monuments are near Llawhaden Castle?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castell Coch (3.8 km), Minwear Ringwork (4.1 km), Newton North Church (4.2 km).

Aubrey Research

Generate a full report for this location

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.

Research the area around Llawhaden Castle