Works undertaken by Pembrokeshire County Council to restore and redevelop Haverfordwest Castle are now well underway as part of the £17.7m UK Government funded project to breathe new life into Haverfordwest.
The iconic site of Haverfordwest Castle, is now ready for the next stage of development towards transforming it into a fantastic new visitor attraction for the town and wider county.
Over the last six months the walls of this Scheduled Ancient Monument have been painstakingly repaired by specialist heritage building conservationists, iBEX. Archaeological excavations have been undertaken by Heneb (The Trust for Welsh Archaeology), the inner bailey has been beautifully re-landscaped for outdoor events and concerts, and preparatory works to the old County Gaol building have now been completed by site contractor Morgan Sindall.
Work on the gaol has now moved onto the next phase, and the job of converting the building into a space suitable to house a state-of-the art heritage and environment-based visitor attraction, has begun.
The new visitor attraction will tell the story of Pembrokeshire’s past and potential future in the refurbished Gaol building, using innovative, cutting-edge technology and interactive displays. Other plans include a revamped Haverfordwest museum in the Grade II Listed Governor’s House as well as free-to-access outdoor interpretation in the castle grounds.
An initial development grant of £368,525* has been secured from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the design stage to fit-out the attraction and a contract has been awarded to The Creative Core, a UK market-leader in museum interpretation and design, in order to undertake this work. There will be opportunities for the public to get involved in focus groups, surveys and pilot workshops to help shape the content of the exhibition spaces throughout 2025.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change, Cllr Paul Miller 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.”
Local Member Cllr Thomas Tudor added: “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.”
Pembrokeshire County Council and partner Haverfordwest Castle CIO are in the process of seeking further funding, with the help of professional fundraisers, to complete the delivery of the scheme.
The project has been in the making for almost 10 years and has been developed in conjunction with an active group of community stakeholders. When open, the attraction will be run by Haverfordwest Castle CIO, an independent charitable organisation that has emerged from the stakeholder group.
It will provide a high quality all-season visitor attraction in the heart of Pembrokeshire, attracting both visitors and local people, including school groups. It will also encourage visitors to explore other parts of Pembrokeshire by providing a taste of what is available in the county as a whole.
