Hayscastle

When the Normans invaded this south-west part of Wales they initially penetrated the countryside by following river valleys inland from the coast, and they built earthwork castles to protect their gains.

Hayscastle stands at the head of one of the small river valleys that run up from the large sandy beach at Newgale some 3 1/2 miles distant.

There is no recorded history of the site, but the castle was probably the home of one of the knights of the Bishop of Saint Davids. There were other knightly mottes at nearby Poyntz Castle and Castle Morris.

The present day remains of the castle are relatively slight and only those familiar with earth castles would recognise the site as a medieval castle. The motte, or castle mound, is of the flat-topped type and was big enough to house a self-contained bailey complex. It was oval in plan and still stands around 20 feet high on one side, but unfortunately has been dug away on the side towards the nearby Celtic (as opposed to Norman) style church.

The castle was protected by marshland on its south-western perimeter and by a widening of its wet moat at the opposite end. The line of its outer bailey on the north-eastern end is preserved as a curved fieldbank around which runs a single tracked tarmac road.