Castell Henllys
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
What is it?
A reconstructed Iron Age fort set in 26 acres of woodland in the northern part of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Why it is special?
It offers a fascinating insight into Iron Age life with three reconstructed roundhouses, a granary and a forge built on the original Iron Age foundations.
The site dates back to around 400BC and visitors can enjoy a wide range of events and guided tours during the main tourist season. The site, which is run by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, has an active schools programme and in 2009 it won the Sandford Award for Heritage Education.
Tell us something we didn’t know
A story associated with Castell Henllys tells of a chieftan called Arianrhod, whose daughter Llyr Fawr was killed by a rival tribe. Arianrhod went on to win a victory of revenge over the rival chief, Idris, with the help of three warriors who found they had magical powers after drinking from her family’s cauldron. Idris yields to Arianrhod and his people paying homage to Castell Henllys, and Arianrhod went on to be a strong and wise leader.
What else can I do there?
There are guided tours twice a day during high season and events including storytelling and making traditional crafts. At the education centre you can watch the BBC’s Surviving The Iron Age programme which was filmed here.
The fort is open daily from 10am to 5pm from April to October (last entry 4.30pm). There is a gift shop nearby which sells books, crafts, snacks and drinks but no café on site. Bring a picnic!
How to get there
Just off the A487 main coastal road between Newport and Cardigan in north Pembrokeshire.
Train and bus: Train to Fishguard then catch the Poppit Rocket bus service to Newport. Taxi from Newport.
