Narberth Castle facts for kids
Narberth Castle (called Castell Arberth in Welsh) is an old ruined fortress. It was built by the Normans in the town of Narberth, in West Wales. This castle is part of a historic boundary known as the Landsker Line.
An old record from 1116 mentions a castle in "arberth" being attacked. However, this probably refers to a different, older castle nearby called Sentence Castle. The stone castle we see today at Narberth was built more than 100 years later.
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The Castle's Beginnings
The castle ruins you can visit today were built by the Normans. They seem to date back to the 1200s. A person named Andrew Perrot is thought to have built it.
Interestingly, Narberth Castle is also mentioned in an ancient Welsh story collection. These stories are called the Mabinogi. In one tale, a character named Rhiannon was held prisoner here. She had to carry travellers through the castle gates as a punishment.
Some people debate if this is the exact castle from the Mabinogi. There are other old earth mounds nearby that could be the place. But the Normans often built their castles on top of older forts. So, it's possible the original castle from the stories was replaced by this stone one.
A Look at Its History
Narberth Castle stayed strong during the Glyndŵr Rising. This was a big rebellion in Wales from 1400 to 1415. The castle never changed hands during that time.
Later, during the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell's forces captured the castle. After they took it, the castle was "slighted." This means parts of it were deliberately destroyed. This was done to make sure it couldn't be used as a fortress again.
Archaeologists have found more than 20 graves on the north side of the castle. These graves date from the 1100s to the 1200s. This suggests that a church might have once stood in that area.
Recent Times at the Castle
In the early 1900s, the town's yearly fair used to end at the castle. People would gather there for dancing and music.
In 2005, the local council took over the castle. They made it safe for visitors. It was then reopened to the public. At the opening event, official papers were signed. These papers confirmed that Narberth and Ludlow were now "twin towns."
There was also a special play performed that day. It was based on a Mabinogion tale called Culhwch and Olwen. Many local children took part, and there was even a giant boar made by a local artist!
What the Castle Looks Like Now
Over the years, much of Narberth Castle has been used as building material. People used stones from the castle to build nearby houses.
Today, you can mostly see single and double-story walls. The barrel-vaulted kitchen cellars are still mostly intact. However, none of the upper-story rooms remain.
You can see an old drawing of the castle on an information board. It's at Narberth railway station and possibly elsewhere in town. This drawing shows tall chimneys that are no longer there. These chimneys were in a Flemish style. You can still see similar chimneys at the well-preserved Manorbier Castle.
