In the heart of Pembroke, Pembrokshire, Wales, there is a mediaeval fortress called Pembroke Castle. It dates back to around 1138 and serves as the Earl of Pembroke County’s seat.
One of Wales’ most well-preserved historical sites is Pembroke Castle. It was constructed in 1138 and sits atop a hill with a view of the ancient town of Pembroke. The community has many structures that belong to the Middle Ages.
The Montgomeries built the original wooden fortress on a rocky cliff above the river Cleddau in the 11th century, which served as the foundation for the current castle. A century later, Richard I gave the castle to William Marshal, who rose to prominence as one of the most influential figures in 12th-century Britain. The majority of the current Pembroke Castle was built by him when he rebuilt it in stone. Castle, Wales’ biggest privately owned castle, is accessible to the general public.
Colonel John Poyer, the commander of Pembroke, Colonel Powell, Tenby Castle, and Sir Nicholas Kemoys, at Chepstow Castle, staged a royalist insurrection in 1648 at the start of the Second Civil War. After a seven-week siege, Oliver Cromwell took control of the castle on May 24, 1648, when he landed in Pembroke. Following the treason convictions of three castle leaders, Cromwell gave the order to demolish the castle. Even the destruction of the stronghold so that its stone might be used for other projects was advocated by the populace.
The castle was left to deteriorate after being abandoned. Up until 1880, when a three-year repair project was started, it lay in ruins. Before Major General Sir Ivor Philipps purchased the castle in 1928 and started a thorough restoration of the castle walls, gatehouse, and towers, nothing else was done. Following his passing, a trust was established for the castle, which the Philipps family and the Pembroke city council now jointly manage.
The famed round keep is 75 feet tall, has walls that are 19 feet thick, and is filled with historical details like towers, turrets, beamed rooms, tunnels, and battlements.
The castle’s construction on Wogan’s Cave, a natural cave, is an interesting feature. The intriguing Museum of the Home, which is located on Westgate Hill across from the castle and contains a rare assortment of home furnishings, appliances, games, and toys from three different centuries, is located there.
The artefacts examined in this exhibition on Welsh history span more than 3000 years of Wales’ history, with displays dating as far back as 1800. The Parish Church of St Nicholas and St John was modified in the 14th century and lay in ruins for a long time before being rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. It has a long, narrow barrel vaulted nave and a monastery presbytery.