Wiston Castle

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The moth of Wiston Castle

Wiston Castle (Welsh Castell Cas - wis ) is a ruined castle in Pembrokeshire in Wales. The classified as a cultural monument is a fine Grade I and protected as a Scheduled Monument ruin is considered one of the best preserved castles of the type of a moth in Wales.

History

To secure the Anglo-Norman rule of the English King Henry I. Flemish colonists brought to South Wales. A group of settlers, led by a Wizo (Welsh GWYs ) built around 1120, the settlement and church Wiston to secure the northern border of Pembrokeshire. The settlement was probably originally within the outer bailey of the moth, built the Wizo. Wizo later founded in Lanarkshire in Scotland another Flemish colony.

1147 the castle of the Welsh led by Hywel from Owain, Maredudd and Cadell ap Gruffydd is conquered. However Wizos son Walter FitzWiz can conquer quickly back to the castle. Another time the castle was conquered in 1193 by Hywel Sais, a son of Lord Rhys, in which the lord Philip FitzWiz and his family are captured. However, the Flemish can already 1195 retake the castle. Castle and settlement fall to John Wogan. 1220 conquered the prince of Gwynedd, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, the castle and burn them down and the settlement. William Marshal renewed the castle, dates from this time probably the stone keep on top of the moth. The castle is not expanded, and the settlement is rebuilt outside the outer bailey. The seat of the Barony is finally laid in the 13th century in the nearby Picton Castle. Wiston Castle is still inhabited until the 14th century, but then leave. Built in the 16th century a branch line of the Wogan family a small mansion east of the castle. In the 18th century the ruins is designed as part of the park of the manor.

Today, the ruins of Cadw is managed and is accessible year-round free.

Plant

The ruin is situated on the northeastern outskirts of the village at Wiston, Haverfordwest. It consists of a mighty castle hill and the south of it oval bailey. The peak of about 9 m high Motte has about 18 m in diameter and is crowned by the ruins of a round shell keep, which was built in the early 13th century, or probably after 1220. The easy entrance to the Keep is located on the south side. The outer castle was probably built on the remains of an Iron Age ring-wall and measures about 130 x 90 m. It is still surrounded by a rampart well preserved, which is surrounded by chestnuts out of the 18th century. Of the probably wooden buildings and fortifications of the outer bailey no remains are preserved.