This 800-year-old castle is getting a massive £18 million revamp

Long gone may be the days of chainmail-attired knights on horseback, fair maidens trapped in towers and feuding noble families, but remnants of those bygone epochs are still standing. Around 4,000 castles, now in various stages of disrepair, can still be found dotted around the UK, having survived centuries of British history. Now, one of these medieval monuments is getting a revamp. 

Haverfordwest Castle in Pembrokeshire is over 800 years old. First mention of the fortress dates back to 1188 when it would have been made of timber and earth. In the years since it has been attacked countless times and fallen in and out of dereliction.

In 2026, though, it’s not exactly thriving. Little remains of the original medieval defences in Haverfordwest Castle’s outer ward and its former entrance on the west side has been completely destroyed.

But a new cash injection will breathe life into the old digs once again. Pembrokeshire County Council has promised £17.7 million of UK Government funding to transform the site into a ‘flagship’ local attraction.

The council has spent the last six months stabilising the foundations and replacing the Grade II-listed building’s two-level roof structure.

Stage two of the works will now revamp the space into a state-of-the-art visitor centre. Once complete, the fortress will be home to a café and a shop full of local products and handmade crafts. Haverfordwest Castle’s grounds will be free to access, and will have community spaces and an open-air events area for 500 people. There are plans to hist open-air theatre shows, craft fairs and Christmas markets once the works are complete. 

Councillor Paul Miller, deputy leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, said: ‘We are excited to see this ambitious project continue apace and this next stage brings us much closer to what will be a flagship heritage attraction, boosting not only the town’s economy but also the wider area.’

Renovations are set to be complete by next summer, ahead of the castle’s official reopening date in 2028.

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