Castle to be conserved and opened up for events and families
Councillors and officers from Pembrokeshire County Council used the annual Gild of Freemen summer gathering in Haverfordwest to set out the next phase of the town’s regeneration centred on Haverfordwest Castle. The presentation outlined a programme of conservation, landscaping and new visitor facilities designed to make the castle a focal point for residents, schools and wider Pembrokeshire tourism.
The medieval fabric of the castle itself will be conserved for future generations, while the Inner Bailey is to be landscaped to create an outdoor events space capable of holding up to 500 people for concerts, plays, craft fairs and seasonal markets. The council’s regeneration team also described improvements to the wider castle grounds, new interpretation panels about the site’s history and family-oriented activities.
New uses for museum and gaol buildings
The building that currently houses Haverfordwest Museum, known as the Governor’s House, will be conserved and the exhibition inside fully refurbished and modernised. Separate proposals indicate the adjacent gaol building will be transformed into a highly interactive, family-friendly visitor attraction telling stories of Pembrokeshire’s past and its potential future. That attraction is expected to include a café, a shop and community spaces alongside the main exhibition.
“The Haverfordwest Castle development project will transform the Castle into a high-quality visitor attraction for local people, schools and visitors to the county.”
Officers said the physical route linking the castle to the town centre — commonly referred to locally as the Castle Back — is receiving particular attention. Work is proposed to make the journey more attractive and navigable, with improved signage to help visitors find their way between the castle and the town’s streets.
- Conservation of the medieval castle fabric
- Inner Bailey landscaping to host events for up to 500 people
- Governor’s House museum modernisation
- Gaol building converted to interactive visitor attraction with café, shop and community spaces
- Improved route and signage between castle and town centre
| Element | Planned change |
|---|---|
| Castle fabric | Conservation for future generations |
| Inner Bailey | Landscaped events space (up to 500 capacity) |
| Governor’s House | Museum refurbished and modernised |
| Gaol building | Interactive visitor attraction, café, shop, community spaces |
Timing, context and local implications
The council’s presentation at the Hotel Mariners confirmed a target opening date of 2028 for the castle site once the work is complete. For Haverfordwest, the scheme is positioned as part of a broader regeneration strategy aimed at boosting the town’s cultural offer and strengthening links between its historic assets and the centre of town life.
Locally, expectations are likely to focus on the effect the project will have on footfall, town-centre businesses and school visits. The creation of a flexible events space may bring new programming opportunities and seasonal markets, while a modernised museum and an interactive gaol attraction could increase daytime visitors. Improved access and signage between the castle and town centre may also affect pedestrian flows along routes that residents and traders rely upon.
As with any significant civic project, practical questions remain about transport, parking, event management, and how community groups will share the new spaces. Details on phasing, planning permissions and funding sources were not disclosed at the Gild event; these will be key to how the proposals progress and how soon residents see physical changes on site.
For many in Haverfordwest, the castle is a visible link to the town’s history and a prominent feature on the skyline. The proposals presented at the Gild of Freemen event set out an ambition both to safeguard that heritage and to make the site a living part of the town’s cultural and economic life.
Further public information and opportunities to engage with detailed plans are expected as the project moves through the council’s governance and planning processes.
