Tenby Town Walls

Tenby Town Walls are medieval defensive structures running along White Lion Street and South Parade, with six surviving towers built from local rubble stone featuring arrow loops. These structures form a connected section of old fortification with visible details of how they were originally built and arranged.

After an attack by Llewelyn ap Gruffydd in 1260, William de Valence rebuilt the structure and installed four gates to control access to the town. A century later in 1457, Jasper Tudor ordered the walls raised and the moat widened to strengthen the defenses further.

The Five Arches Gate remains the last fully intact entrance point and shows how medieval builders designed passage through defensive walls. You can observe from there how tightly the old town sits behind it and how this opening once controlled movement in and out.

Different sections of the walls can be accessed from South Parade, where multiple parking areas offer convenient starting points for your walk. Sturdy footwear is recommended as the pathways on and around the old structure can be uneven.

A commemorative tablet from 1457 on the walls records Jasper Tudor's order to increase their height by roughly 5 feet (1.5 meters) and widen the moat. This inscription is a rare example of medieval rulers actually documenting their fortification improvements for future generations.

Location: Tenby

Elevation above the sea: 25 m

GPS coordinates: 51.67110,-4.70071

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:02