Picton

Picton Casle, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. 3 1/2
                         Miles east-south of haverfordwest.

    The first castle on this site has long since vanished, but it was established in the reign of
William II ("Rufus") by William de Picton. De Piction was a Norman knight who accompanied
Arnulph de Montgomery into south-west Wales. De Montgomery founded the first Pembroke
Astle in 1097, while de Picton moved fruther north. It is likely that Picton Castle was a
Welsh strongold, and that de Picton moved in, and stayed in, after he had outed the
castles original owners.
    The substanial ruins of the large, solid castle-block, with its four attached round
towers and the small double-towered gatehouse, datre from the late 13th century or even
early 14th Century. the history of the earlier castle is unknown , but Picton Castle
did succeed the nearby Wiston Castle, and the last mention of that castle was in 1220
when it was recorded that it was to be rebuilt. It never was, and perhaps the move took
place soon after, with work on the new Picton Castle beinning after Edwards I's victory's
of 1282-83. The castle changed hands during Owain Glyndwr's revolt in 1403, but it was
not until the Civil War between Charles I and his Parliament that Picton Castle became
truely embroiled in national events. Sir Richard Hilipps garrisoned the castle for the
Royalists, and after if had changed hands in the early stages, the Parliamentarians
besieged it. The siege was long, and the Royalists seemed to be holding out until they
were beaten by the capture of a hostage. The castle nursery occupied on of the lower rooms
and had a window looking away from the walls. A Parliamentary messenger, carrying a flag
of truce, rode up to the window one day when the nursemaid held the infant Erasmus Philipps
in her arms. To receive the message she opened the window and leant out, strethcing
toward the horseman. Suddenly he smatched the child and galloped back to his camp.
The demand to surrender or sacrifice the child soon arrived, and the castle immediately
surrendered. The Parliamentarians were apparently moved the the Garrison's stand and by the
unhesitating way the gave themselves up to save the child-and, no doubt, were troubled
by their own tactics- so they allowed the garrison the full honours of war, and even
arranged the Picton Castle, unlike most, should not be slighted
   On private land and not normally open to the public....

Taken from the Castles of Wales by Allen Reid

However private this site might be several of my relatives have been to see it and met our relative
that now resides there... soon to come photos of the Castle