Manorbier Castle

Manorbier Castle
Part of Pembrokeshire
Manorbier, Wales
The castle stands right on the coast just above the beach.
The inner ward of the castle.
Type	Norman Rectangular castle
Height	Up to 16 metres (52 ft)
Site information
Owner	Private
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Partially restored
Site history
Built	12th Century
Built by	William de Barri
Materials	Limestone
Listed Building – Grade I

Manorbier Castle (Welsh: Castell Maenorbŷr) is a Norman castle located in the village of Manorbier, five miles south-west of Tenby, West Wales. It was the original seat of the Anglo-Norman de Barry family.

Manorbier is a rectangular enclosure castle, curtain walls, and round and square towers. Its tower gateway was protected by a great door and portcullis as well as roof embrasures. There was no moat as the castle stands on a natural promontory facing the coast. A postern gate provided access to the beach and boats.

There was an outer ward that was defended by earthworks but no barbican. The main gateway to the inner ward is across a bridge and dry moat. The south-east tower is round but the north-east one is angular. The domestic range of the castle had kitchens, apartments and a Great hall that was built in the 1140s. Arrowslits were replaced by windows in the domestic range.

The Chapel, which was built around 1260, has elaborate vaulting and plaster-work. Some of the original medieval frescoes can still be seen.

The castle was originally built on land granted to Odo de Barri, a Norman knight, at the end of the 11th century. Initially he constructed a Motte-and-bailey on the site which had a wooden keep defended by a palisade and earthworks embankments. But it was Odo's son, William de Barri, who began work on the stone fortification in the early part of the 12th century.