County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in Pembrokeshire
10 castles in Pembrokeshire, anchored by Pembroke - the birthplace of Henry VII, kept open year round by its own charitable trust - and a run of Norman strongholds along the coast.
Map
Every castle on this list - 10 in total, 4 free to enter, 4 you can stay overnight in
Pembroke Castle
Pembrokeshire
Birthplace of Henry VII; open year-round, ticketed
Photo: JKMMX, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Carew Castle & Tidal Mill
Pembrokeshire
Leased and run by National Park Authority, not Cadw
Photo: JKMMX, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Picton Castle
Pembrokeshire
Castle and 40-acre gardens
Photo: Waterborough, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Manorbier Castle
Pembrokeshire
Open daily Mar-Sep; closes for weddings; castle house sleeps guests
Photo: Ainslie, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Cilgerran Castle
Pembrokeshire Free entry
National Trust-owned, Cadw-managed; twin drum towers above Teifi gorge; free entry; also listed under National Trust
Photo: Waterborough, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Llawhaden Castle
Pembrokeshire Free entry
Fortified palace of the bishops of St Davids; free
Roch Castle
Pembrokeshire
Norman tower restored as luxury hotel
Photo: Alan Hughes, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Upton Castle
Pembrokeshire
12th/13th-century fortified manor with an attached medieval chapel, surrounded by early-20th-century gardens and an arboretum.
Photo: David Medcalf, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Wiston Castle
Pembrokeshire Free entry
Best-preserved motte-and-bailey in Wales with shell keep; free
Photo: Cadw, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Haverfordwest Castle
Pembrokeshire Free entry
Inner ward free daily; town museum adjacent
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Common questions
How many castles are there in Pembrokeshire?
This roll lists 10 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in Pembrokeshire. Of those, 4 are free to enter and 4 charge admission. The other 2 have restricted access.
Which castles in Pembrokeshire are free to visit?
4 of the 10 castles in Pembrokeshire are open-access sites with no admission charge, namely Cilgerran Castle, Llawhaden Castle, Wiston Castle and Haverfordwest Castle.
What is the best-rated castle in Pembrokeshire?
Roch Castle is among the highest-rated castles in Pembrokeshire on this roll - 4.9/5 from 246 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle in Pembrokeshire?
Yes - 4 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, namely Picton Castle, Manorbier Castle, Roch Castle and Upton Castle.
Can you reach any castle in Pembrokeshire by train?
3 of the 10 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, namely Haverfordwest Castle (Haverfordwest, 0.4 miles), Pembroke Castle (Pembroke, 0.7 miles) and Manorbier Castle (Manorbier, 1.0 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in Pembrokeshire?
Not all of them on the same terms. 2 of the 10 restrict what a visitor can see. Roch Castle is a hotel, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table. At Upton Castle the building itself isn't open to visitors, so you see it from the grounds or from outside.