Picton Castle Facts for Kids

Picton Castle (called Castell Pictwn in Welsh) is an old castle from the Middle Ages. It is located near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Wales. A knight from Flanders first built it at the end of the 1200s. Later, it became the property of Sir John Wogan.

Today, the Picton Castle Trust, which is a charity, owns and manages the castle and its beautiful gardens. They keep it open for everyone to enjoy. The castle has a very unusual design and has been changed many times over the years. It is a very important historical building, known as a Grade I listed building. Its gardens and park are also special, listed as Grade II* on the Welsh register of historic parks and gardens.

The Castle's Story
Visiting Picton Castle
- Explore the Gardens
- What Else Can You Find?
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The Castle's Story

How the Land Changed Hands

Before the late 1000s, this part of Wales was a Welsh kingdom called Deheubarth. In 1093, the king of Deheubarth, Rhys ap Tewdwr, died in a battle. After this, the Normans, who were powerful invaders, took over much of South Wales.

In 1102, some Normans tried to rebel against King Henry I of England. After their rebellion failed, King Henry I changed how the area around the Daugleddau Estuary and Milford Haven was organized. He made it a special area called a Marcher Lordship of Pembroke. This meant it was ruled by a powerful lord who had special rights.

Flemish Settlers Arrive

In 1108, the low-lying land of Henry's mother, Flanders, suffered terrible floods. Many people from Flanders, called Flemings, needed help. King Henry offered to let these refugees settle in the Pembroke Lordship. This helped him by adding more loyal people to his forces at Pembroke Castle. So many Flemings settled here that they greatly outnumbered the local Welsh people.

In the area called Dungleddy, the Flemings settled under a leader named Wizo. Wizo built and lived at Wiston Castle. He gave parts of his land to his followers. One of these followers received the land at Picton, which was about three miles south of Wiston. We don't know the name of this Fleming who built the first castle at Picton. The first castle might have been on a small hill near the current building. However, the castle we see today was built by the end of the 1200s and was owned by the Wogan family. They also owned Wiston Castle by then.

The Wogan Family Takes Over

It's not completely clear how the Wogan family came to own Picton Castle. It might have been because the earlier owners didn't have any sons to inherit, or through a marriage where a Wogan married an heiress (a female who inherits property). By the 1200s, Wiston Castle seemed to be empty, and the Wogan family lived at Picton Castle. Their family has lived there ever since.

Picton Castle started as a "motte castle," which was a wooden fort on a mound. Sir John Wogan rebuilt it in stone between 1295 and 1308. The castle's design was unusual because it didn't have an inner courtyard. Instead, the main building was protected by seven round towers that stuck out from the walls. At the east end, two of these towers formed a gatehouse. The entrance, which had a heavy gate called a portcullis, led straight into the main hall.

At first, the castle windows were narrow slits. But around 1400, these were replaced with larger windows. A grand, large window was also added to the gatehouse.

Attacks and Changes Over Time

In 1405, French soldiers who were helping Owain Glyndŵr (a Welsh leader) attacked and took over the castle. It was also captured again in 1645 by Parliament's forces during the English Civil War.

In the 1400s, the Wogan family line ended because there were no more sons. The heiress, Katherine, married Owen Dunn. Their grandson, Sir Henry Dunn, only had daughters. This is how the Picton Castle estate came to the Philipps family. Sir Henry's daughter Jane married Sir Thomas ap Philipps in the 1490s.

Sir John Philipps, who inherited the castle in the 1500s, changed the building and made a new entrance. This entrance stayed until the 1820s, when a new one was designed by Thomas Rowlands. In 1611, King James I needed money for his army. He decided to sell special titles called "baronetcies." Sir John Philipps paid £1,095 to get his family this hereditary title.

The estate stayed with the Philipps family until Lord Milford died in 1823. His cousin, Richard Grant, inherited it. Richard Grant then took the name Philipps and was given the title of Baronet in 1828 and Baron Milford in 1847.

Today, the Picton Castle Trust, which is a registered charity, runs the estate. The castle is a Grade I listed building, and its walled garden is listed as Grade II. The gardens and park are also very special, listed as Grade II* on the Welsh register of historic parks and gardens.

Visiting Picton Castle

Explore the Gardens

The "Picton Renoir"

The Picton Castle Garden is open to visitors every day. It is a Grade I listed garden, meaning it's very important. The Royal Horticultural Society also recognizes its beauty. The gardens cover over 40 acres and include many different areas. You can explore the Walled Garden, the Jungle Garden, Peach House Woods, Peep-In Woods, the Dew Pond, the Fernery, and the Apothecary's garden.

What Else Can You Find?

There is a restaurant and a shop at the castle. You can also stay overnight in self-catering rooms in the gatehouse lodges. The castle often holds special events, fairs, and workshops.

Picton Castle is also home to a painting called the "Picton Renoir." This painting was featured on a BBC show called Fake or Fortune? in 2015. The show talked about how art experts sometimes disagree on paintings. You can see this painting when you visit the castle.