Laugharne Castle, Wales

The history of Laugharne Castle stretches back nearly 900 years:

The castle is believed to have been built in the early 12th century. Later
a new enclosure was created covering the area of the present inner ward. A large stone hall block was built on its North side. From the mid 13th century onwards the castle was owned by the de Brian family, all of whose male descendants were, confusingly, named Guy. Much of the present structure dates from this time.
In the late 16th century the castle was converted into a Tudor mansion by Sir John Perrot and he built the first gardens. In 1644 the castle's active life ended with the Civil War, when it was captured by Parliamentary forces after a siege and partially dismantled.

In the 18th-19th century a garden was created around the 'Romantic' ruins.
The castle was handed into state care in 1973 by Miss Anne Starke, of Castle House, Laugharne and has undergone excavation and conservation.

The romantic ruins of Laugharne Castle, overlooking the River Tâf estuary , have been the inspiration for artists such as Turner, and authors such as Dylan Thomas who wrote 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog' in the gazebo in the castle garden.

Opening Times

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Ticket Prices

Disabled Facilities

The path to the gatehouse has a slight gradient, but there is then level access to the pay desk and visitor centre. There is a short wooden ramp with a non-slip surface from here into the grounds. The grounds and garden and the inner ward have firm pathways with occasional gradients, but there is a cobbled path into the inner ward. There are information panels and an exhibition on site and benches are provided.

Parking: There is a setting-down point (with double yellow lines) outside the castle and a small parking area opposite. The public car park is 200m (216 yds) away.

Toilets: There is a disabled toilet outside the visitor centre. The custodian is the key holder.

Visit website for more information

More Information

Visit website for more information