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Wiston Castle

WLS Wales · 11th century

Wiston Castle in Wales
Photo: Lucy Sheers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Wiston Castle (Welsh: Castell Cas-wis) is a motte and bailey castle in the Pembrokeshire village of Wiston in south west Wales and is one of the best examples of its type in Wales. The castle and village were founded by Wizo, a Flemish settler who was granted the land by Henry I of England after he had wrested control from the previous owner, Arnulf de Montgomery (who was in revolt against Henry). The castle was captured by the Welsh on several occasions but on each occasion it was retaken. It was abandoned during the thirteenth century when the then owner moved to nearby Picton Castle.

The castle is situated opposite St Mary Magdalene Church and there are approximately 50 steps leading up to it. It is in the care of Cadw and is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Monument.

Text adapted from “Wiston Castle” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Wiston Castle ranks #4,734 of 8,134 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #86 of the 100 mapped in Wales. Founded c. 1050, it is older than 90% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 325 atlas entries founded in the 11th century. 11 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Swansea, 68 km away. See how Wales compares in the castle statistics.

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Read the full history on Wikipedia ↗

Frequently asked questions

Where is Wiston Castle?

Wiston Castle stands in Wales, at 51.82679°, -4.87114°.

When was Wiston Castle built?

The atlas dates its founding to c. 1050. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.

How famous is Wiston Castle?

In this atlas's fame ranking: #4,734 of 8,134 worldwide, and #86 in Wales. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.

What is the nearest castle to Wiston Castle?

Picton Castle, about 5 km away.

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