22-05-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Restoration of Haverfordwest Castle moves on to next stage
This is part of a regeneration project led by Pembrokeshire County Council.
The redevelopment is being funded from a budget of £17.7 million provided by the UK Government as part of an initiative to rejuvenate the area.
The long-standing historical site is being converted into what promises to be a new visitor attraction for the town and the surrounding region.
Efforts over the past six months have focused on restoration of the structure by specialist conservationists, iBEX.
Archaeological excavations were also carried out by the Trust for Welsh Archaeology (Heneb), which provided valuable insights into the castle's history.
The inner bailey of the castle has received a facelift, and is being landscaped to make it more suitable for outdoor events and concerts.
Alongside this, preliminary work has begun on the conversion of the old County Gaol building into the venue for the future visitor attraction.
The forthcoming attraction within the County Gaol building is set to tell the story of Pembrokeshire's past.
Plans are nearing completion to use innovative technology and interactive displays to share tales about the county's future.
Further plans indicate a revamped Haverfordwest museum in the Governor's House, as well as free-to-access interpretation in the castle grounds.
To support this, the National Lottery Heritage Fund made a grant of £368,525 available for the design stage.
This will be for the fitting out of the attraction, with The Creative Core appointed the contract for the work.
Opportunities for public involvement in the form of focus groups, surveys and pilot workshops are to be provided throughout 2025.
Councillor Paul Miller, deputy leader and cabinet member for place, region and climate change, 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."
Pembrokeshire County Council and the partner organisation, Haverfordwest Castle CIO, are actively seeking further funding with the help of professional fundraisers.
The project, which has been in planning for almost 10 years, is a collaborative effort with an active group of community stakeholders.
Councillor Thomas Tudor, the local member, said: "It is fantastic to see this project progress, our town castle really is something to be proud of and we want to make it a real destination for tourists and locals alike."
Haverfordwest Castle CIO, existing out of the stakeholder group, will be responsible for running the attraction once fully operational.
This gem at the heart of Pembrokeshire is set to provide a high-quality, year-round visitor attraction.
