The 1171 Peace Treaty at Laugharne Castle

In the year 1171, the castle of Robert Courtemain - originally established in 1116 - served as the meeting place for Henry II of England and Rhys ap Gruffudd. During their meeting, the two leaders agreed to a treaty of peace. The site was later rebuilt as a Norman stronghold and saw various alterations, including becoming a Tudor fortified manor house in the sixteenth century.

By 1247, Laugharne was granted to the De Brian family. The castle changed hands twice during the English Civil War and was eventually captured by Parliamentary forces in 1644. After a week-long siege in which much of the castle was damaged by cannon fire, the Royalist garrison surrendered and the castle was slighted to prevent any further use.

In about 1730, the new Castle House was built close by, and the castle itself was left as a ruin. Around the start of the 19th century, the outer ward was laid out as formal gardens. The ruins are now a scheduled ancient monument and a Grade I listed building, open to the public from spring to autumn.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons