The 800-year-old castle that is being turned into Wales’ next major tourist attraction

One thing the UK really excels at (alongside pubs, moaning and rain) is castles. From Corfe Castle in Dorset all the way up to Stirling Castle in Scotland, we’ve got heaps of them, and many have been turned into tourist hotspots with gift shops, cafes and ten-minute long introductory videos that we feel duty-bound to sit through every single time. 

Some castles are simply too ruined to open to the public, though, and for a while, Haverfordwest Castle in southwest Wales was part of that group. But, thanks to a huge cash injection, plans to rejuvenate the twelfth century Pembrokeshire stronghold have been announced.

First recorded in 1188, the castle was ordered to be destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in the 1600s before being repurposed as a prison during the eighteenth century. Since then the site has consisted of parts of its original inner keep, as well as the shell of the inner ward and several towers.

The £17.7m redevelopment plan involves a new cafe serving locally sources snacks and drinks, an outdoor event space with 500 seats, and a ‘fun, immersive and interactive exhibition space’. The wider castle site will also host a refurbished Haverfordwest Museum in the Governor's House. 

It’s being funded by the UK Government, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Welsh Government Transforming Towns fund, with match funding from Pembrokeshire County Council. 

The site remains closed while restoration work takes place, with a a prospective opening date in 2028.

Check out our guide to the UK's top castles for a royally good day out.

In other Welsh news: visitors are being told to avoid this viral Welsh reservoir.

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.