Haverfordwest

Haverfordwest is a settlement in southwestern Wales, positioned along the Western Cleddau River that flows through the town center. The castle ruins stand above the core on a hill, while narrow lanes wind between old houses down toward the bridges.

The Norman nobleman Gilbert de Clare established the castle in the early 12th century, after which a trading center grew around the hillside. The connection to the railway network in the mid-19th century shifted goods traffic from ships to trains.

The Welsh name Hwlffordd refers to the river ford that travelers once used to cross. Today locals gather in the pubs around the main street, where you can still hear Welsh spoken occasionally.

Parking areas sit near the riverbank and along side streets off the main route, with steep climbs toward the castle over uneven cobbles. Shops and cafés are busiest on weekday mornings, while Saturdays draw crowds to the market.

Remains of over 300 skeletons were uncovered beneath a former department store, pointing to a medieval burial site that went unknown for centuries. This excavation changed understanding of how the town originally developed and where its inhabitants were laid to rest.