15
A new illustrated Historic
Trail leaflet to guide visitors
around the beautiful village
of Nevern will be available
from Easter 2009.
The National Park Authority has
been working closely with Nevern
Community Council to design the
guide. It describes some of the
ancient monuments to be found in
and around the village.
The castle
One of Nevern's ancient mysteries is
now being revealed by
archaeologists. Perched high above
the church in the trees with a steep
sided natural gorge to one side and
views over the surrounding
countryside, the site of the castle
has been an important defensive
location for many centuries. While
the remains of the motte and bailey
castle that you can see here today
probably date from Norman times,
it is possible that the site has been
occupied since the Iron Age over
2,000 years ago.
The site was acquired by the
Norman lord, Sir Robert FitzMartin,
in the early 12th century when he
took it from the local Welsh
aristocracy. He built the motte,
which is the large grassy mound
that you can see today, on top of
which would have been a timber or
stone tower.
From here the lord had good
views of the surrounding area as
well as the goings-on in the bailey.
The bailey, which is the flat area
below, was probably where the hall
and buildings of the lord were
sited. At the opposite end of the
site to the motte are the remains of
a stone tower separated from the
rest of the site by an impressive
rock cut ditch. Look for the marks
in the exposed stone which were
made by the tools used to cut this
ditch nearly 1,000 years ago.
The castle changed hands
several times during the 12th
century as the Welsh and Normans
battled for supremacy in the area.
By 1191 it was back in the
possession of a powerful Welsh
nobleman, the Lord Rhys, and his
sons. However, they were not a
happy family and Rhys himself was
imprisoned in the castle by his sons
Maelgwyn and Gruffydd. He was
later released by another son
Hywel, who reportedly destroyed
the castle to stop it falling into the
hands of the, by now, Anglo-
Normans again. By the end of the
century the site was abandoned
and fell into ruin.
Excavation in 2009
Today archaeologists are trying to
uncover more of the secrets of the
castle. With the help of a
groundbreaking initiative led by
Cadw, the organisation that helps
to protect and provide access to
Welsh historic monuments, a large
scale excavation is planned for this
year. The Welsh Cultural Heritage
Initiative will provide funding for a
team of archaeologists, led by Dr
Chris Caple of Durham University
and including National Park
Authority staff, to undertake two
`digs' in the early summer and
autumn to discover more evidence
to shed light on the history of this
special place.
From Easter 2009, the Nevern
Historic Trail leaflet will be available
from National Park Visitor Centres
and the Trewern Arms in Nevern.
For more information call Castell
Henllys Iron Age Fort on 01239
891319.
For walks in the Nevern area you
can also visit the National Park
Authority's website at www.
pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk/
walking and choose Walks
in the Park.
National Park
Nevern
Castell Henllys
Iron Age Fort
�GarethDavies
Pembrokeshire Tours
Discover a land steeped
in ancient history
Guided walks
and minibus tours
Bookings:
Ma Simes Surf Hut, St Davids
pembrokeshire-tours.co.uk Tel. 01437 720433
Guided walks
and minibus tours Tel. 01437 720433
MAYFIELD GOLF CENTRE
Freystrop, Haverfordwest
01437 764300
A warm welcome awaits players
(beginners and experienced) and their families
9 HOLE PAY AND PLAY WOODLAND COURSE
with panoramic views over the Preseli Hills and surrounding
countryside � 9 holes - �4.00 18 holes �7.00
DRIVING RANGE
40 balls - �1.50 80 balls �3.00
OPEN Mon � Fri 8.00am � 9.00pm
Sat & Sun 8.00am � 7.00pm � Free Clubs
CADDIE'S CAF�
Open 7 days a week 7.30am � 4.00pm
All Day Breakfast � Afternoon Teas � Lunches
Disabled facilities available
GATE 2 PLATE FARM SHOP
Wide selection of fresh local produce
home grown on site
Vegetables � Meat � Pies and Sausages
Walk into
the past
Walk into
the past
Did you know?
There are six National Nature Reserves
in the National Park.
Aerial view of Nevern
Nevern Cross

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