Llawhaden Castle stands on a hill overlooking the River Cleddau in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The site was once owned by the Bishopric of the Diocese of St. David, forming the Marcher Lordship of Dewisland - the only ecclesiastically-ruled Marcher Lordship. The first Norman Bishop, Bernard, constructed a castle on the site in 1115. While only a moat and an earth bank from this period survive, it is thought to have been a motte-and-bailey castle.
The stone-built building came later, with the vast majority of the ruins seen today dating from the construction commissioned by Bishop Adam de Houghton between 1362 and 1389. This construction was much grander than previous work and included two suites of residences situated on the first floor. A gatehouse, formed of two drum towers and a gateway, is located on the southern side. Additions continued to be made to the castle into the early years of the reign of Henry VIII.
The castle fell into decline under Bishop William Barlow, who sold the lead from the castle roof, causing damage from which the building never recovered. Following the dissolution of the monasteries, the castle was completely abandoned and used as a quarry for building stone. Today, the ruins are managed by Cadw and are open to the public.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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