Celtic Recipes

Foel Drigarn

East of Pentre Ifan to Crymych and then southwest on minor roads towards Mynachlog Ddu for about a mile where the road forks left and you will reach a signed footpath on the right of the road. This takes you to the summit of the hill enclosed with banks, ditches and stone ramparts and the site of Foel Drigarn hillfort. The interior of the fort contains three large Bronze Age cairns which were clearly respected and left intact by the later Iron Age builders of the fort.

Newport (Pembrokeshire) Castle - Castell Trefdraeth

Newport, Pembrokeshire Fielding, Newton, 1797-1856, engraver. Edwards, Pryce Carter, fl. 1830-1840, artist. In collection of the National Library of Wales.

The remains on this site mainly date from the thirteenth century and are made up of towers, gatehouse, dungeon and crypt enclosed by a ringwork and moat. The castle is on a private location on the A487 north east of Fishguard.

Carningli Hillfort

Newport and Carn Ingli image courtesy of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park - Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro.

Caningli Hillfort is on the peak of the mountain of Mynydd Carningli. The hill top is to the south of Newport, Pembrokeshire, Wales (Welsh: Trefdraeth, Sir Benfro, Cymru). The remains of stone ramparts that would have once formed a defensive ring around the summit of this mountain can be seen. Along with embankments and a number of hut circles can also be identified.  The site is thought to date from the first millennium BC. A number of cairns are found on the mountain.  Since prehistory, these stone structures have been used for a number of purposes, including as burial monuments, markers and for ceremonial purposes.

Gors Fawr

Gors Fawr Stone Circle near Mynachlog Ddu, image © Copyright Helge Klaus Rieder and released into the public domain under creative commons.

This stone circle is southeast of Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, Wales (Welsh: Abergwaun, Sir Benfro, Cymru)) and to the east of the village of Rosebush (Welsh: Rhos-y-bwlch) about a mile southwest of Mynachlog-ddu. It is made up of 16 low stones and about seventy feet in diameter. There are two larger standing stones nearby.

Dyffryn Syfynwy

A stone circle made up of eighteen stones varying in height up to seven feet and surrounding a cairn. This site if off the B4329 at Henrys Moat southeast of Fishguard between Haverfordwest and Rosebush.

Caerau - Caeriw Promontory Forts

Northwest of Haverford West/Hwlffordd take the A487 to St David's/Tyddewi and then continue on the A487 towards Fishguard from St David's, turning left on the B4583 and then heading toward Abereiddy. Keep your eyes open for the left turn to Caerhys and Llanvirn to get to a car park. The coastal path westward takes you through the site of these two promontory forts. The ditches and banks are clearly visible one of which joins the two forts.

Camrose Castle - Castell Camros

This is a small motte and bailey castle of early Norman period and then later rebuilt and fortified in stone. It is said that William the Conqueror once stayed here overnight when on pilgrimage to St David's Cathedral. Subsequent landscaping has been undertaken but remains of the bailey wall are visible. The site if off the B4330 north west of Haverfordwest.

Skomer Island - Ynys Sgomer

Skomer Island image courtesy of Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

Skomer Island (Welsh: Ynys Sgomer) is a nature reserve and is just off the Pembrokeshire Coast at Martin's Haven. As well as an abundance of wildlife the island is rich in Iron Age hut remains. Signs of settlement are all over the island with round and rectangular hut remains, field systems and wall boundaries believed to date back to the first century BC. The island can be reached by taking the B4327 southwest from Haverfordwest branching off to Marloes towards Martin's Haven where boats leave during the summer months.

Haverfordwest Castle - Castell Hwlffordd

Haverford West Castle 1794 image courtesy of National Library of Wales.

Haverfordwest Castle - Castell Hwlffordd dates back to the twelfth century and fell into English hands, where it remained despite being under siege on a number of occasions. The castle is on the top of a hill overlooking the town and has the remains of two round towers, hall, chapel and dungeon. Haverfordwest is on the A40 and A4076 and the castle is in the town above the River Cleddau.

Picton Castle - Castell Pictwn

Picton Castle 1866 image courtesy of Brirtish Library.

Picton Castle - Castell Pictwn. Although the original building on this site was a thirteenth century fortified house there has been substantial redevelopment to bring about the early nineteenth and later mansion house that exits today. The house is noted for it's gardens and is located at Picton off the A487 road about three and half miles southeast of Haverfordwest (Welsh: Hwlffordd, Sir Benfro, Cymru).

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