16/05/2026
🏰 PEMBROKE CASTLE: KINGS, KNIGHTS, CAVES… AND A WELSH HIPPO?! 🦛
Pembrokeshire has no shortage of places that make you stop and say, “Well, that’s a bit special.” But Pembroke Castle really does take the biscuit.
It is not just a castle. It is a Norman fortress, the birthplace of a king, a Civil War stronghold, a medieval power base, and now, thanks to new archaeology, possibly one of the most important prehistoric sites in Britain.
Not bad for a day out in Pembroke, is it? 😄
🏰 A CASTLE BUILT TO IMPRESS
Pembroke Castle sits on a limestone ridge above the Pembroke River, surrounded by water on three sides. In plain English, it was a brilliant place to build a fortress.
The first Norman castle was founded in 1093 by Arnulf de Montgomery. Back then, it was probably made from earth and timber, but over time it became the huge stone fortress we know today.
The real glow-up came under William Marshal, one of the most famous knights of the Middle Ages. If medieval Britain had celebrity trading cards, William Marshal would be the shiny one everyone wanted.
He helped turn Pembroke Castle into a serious stone fortress, including the mighty round keep. That tower still dominates the castle today and gives off very strong “try me and see what happens” energy. ⚔️
👑 THE BIRTHPLACE OF HENRY VII
Pembroke Castle’s biggest royal claim to fame is that Henry Tudor was born there in 1457.
He was born during the Wars of the Roses, when England and Wales were tangled in a very messy family argument with swords. Later, Henry defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 and became King Henry VII.
That victory launched the Tudor dynasty.
So yes, Pembroke Castle can proudly say it was the birthplace of the first Tudor king. A Welsh-born king, no less. Very tidy. 👑
The Tudors went on to become one of the most famous royal families in British history, with Henry VIII and Elizabeth I following later. So the story that began in Pembroke Castle ended up shaping the history of Britain.
No pressure, Pembroke.
🔥 CIVIL WAR DRAMA
Pembroke Castle was not just important in the medieval period. It also saw serious action during the English Civil War.
In 1648, the castle became involved in a Royalist uprising and was besieged by Oliver Cromwell. The siege lasted around seven weeks before the castle finally fell.
After that, parts of the castle were damaged so it could not easily be used as a stronghold again. It later fell into ruin before restoration work helped bring it back to life.
So when you walk around Pembroke Castle today, you are not just looking at pretty old walls. You are looking at a place that has seen invasion, politics, royal births, rebellion, siege warfare and probably more shouting than a Saturday night taxi rank. 🚕😄
🕳️ WOGAN CAVERN: THE SECRET WORLD UNDER THE CASTLE
Now for the bit that has really got people talking.
Under Pembroke Castle is Wogan Cavern, a huge natural limestone cave. In the medieval period, it was built into the castle’s defences, with access from inside the castle and links to the river below.
It may have been used as a storeroom, a watergate, a boathouse, or even a sneaky route in and out of the castle.
Basically, Pembroke Castle had its own secret underground lair. Very dramatic. Very Pembrokeshire Bond villain. 🕶️
But recently, Wogan Cavern has become even more exciting.
Archaeologists had once thought that Victorian digging may have removed much of the important material from the cave. But recent research has shown that ancient deposits still survive.
And what they are finding is extraordinary.
🦣 MAMMOTHS, RHINOS, REINDEER… AND HIPPOS?!
Recent investigations have found evidence linked to prehistoric humans and Ice Age animals.
Among the discoveries connected with Wogan Cavern are remains of animals such as:
🦣 Mammoth
🦏 Woolly rhinoceros
🦌 Reindeer
🐴 Wild horse
🦛 Hippopotamus
Yes, you read that correctly.
A hippo. In Wales.
Before anyone says “typical Pembroke night out”, this hippo is thought to date back around 120,000 years, to a much warmer period when Britain looked very different from today.
So long before Pembroke had a castle, a town, Tudors, tourists, coffee shops, or someone trying to parallel park near Main Street, the area may have been home to hippos.
That is absolutely bonkers in the best possible way. 🦛
🧬 WHY ARCHAEOLOGISTS ARE SO EXCITED
The discoveries in Wogan Cavern matter because the cave may preserve evidence from thousands and thousands of years of history.
Researchers believe the cave could contain clues about Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from around 11,000 years ago, and possibly even earlier human activity.
There may also be evidence linked to some of the earliest Homo sapiens in Britain, and perhaps even Neanderthal activity.
The cave floor has areas protected by stalagmite and old sediment, which means modern science can now study things earlier archaeologists could not.
That could include:
🔎 Ancient bones
🧬 DNA traces
🪨 Stone tools
🌿 Environmental evidence
🌡️ Clues about climate change
👣 Signs of early human life
In other words, Wogan Cavern is not just “the cave under the castle”. It could be a prehistoric archive sitting beneath one of Wales’s greatest medieval fortresses.
That is the sort of thing that makes archaeologists go very quiet, then very excited, then probably ask for more funding. 😄
🏰 THREE STORIES IN ONE PLACE
This is what makes Pembroke Castle so special.
Above ground, you have the story of Norman power, medieval knights and mighty stone walls.
Inside the castle, you have the birthplace of Henry VII and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.
Below ground, you have Wogan Cavern, with evidence of prehistoric animals, early humans and a Wales so ancient it had hippos wandering about.
Honestly, most castles would be happy with one major claim to fame. Pembroke Castle is just showing off now.
👣 WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN YOU VISIT
If you are planning a visit, do not rush it. Pembroke Castle rewards a proper wander.
Start with the walls and towers. Take in the views over Pembroke and the Mill Pond. You quickly understand why this site was chosen. It is naturally defensive, dramatic and very photogenic.
Then look for the Great Keep. This is one of the castle’s most impressive features and gives you a real sense of the power and wealth behind the building.
Next, spend time with the Henry VII story. The Tudor connection is not just a small footnote. It is one of the castle’s biggest historical links.
Then head down into Wogan Cavern. That is where the whole visit changes mood. One minute you are thinking about knights and kings, the next you are standing in a cave that may hold evidence from tens of thousands of years before the castle was built.
That is not a normal tourist attraction. That is time travel with stairs. 🕳️
🌊 THE AREA AROUND THE CASTLE
The castle is also perfectly placed for a gentle wander around Pembroke.
The Mill Pond gives one of the best views of the castle, especially when the water is still and the reflection behaves itself for the camera.
Pembroke town itself has plenty of history too. The old town was once fortified, and you can still get a sense of the medieval layout as you walk through.
Nearby, you can also explore:
🏛️ Pembroke Town Hall and local history displays
⛪ St Mary’s Church
🌿 The Commons
🚶 The Mill Pond walk
⛪ Monkton Priory
📸 Castle viewpoints from around the water
It is the kind of place where you can go for the castle and end up staying for a walk, a coffee, a nose around town and 47 photos of the same tower from slightly different angles.
We have all done it. No judgement. 📸
❤️ WHY PEMBROKE CASTLE STILL MATTERS
Pembroke Castle is one of Pembrokeshire’s great landmarks, but it is not frozen in time.
Its story is still changing.
For generations, people knew it as a Norman castle and the birthplace of Henry VII. Now, thanks to the discoveries in Wogan Cavern, it may also become famous as a key site for understanding prehistoric life in Britain.
That is what makes it so exciting.
Pembroke Castle is not just telling us about kings and battles. It may also help tell the story of ancient people, lost animals, changing climates and a landscape that looked nothing like the Pembrokeshire we know today.
From mammoths and hippos to knights and Tudors, this one site has a ridiculous amount of history packed into it.
Pembroke Castle: built by Normans, home to Tudors, besieged by Cromwell, and possibly once neighbours with a hippo.
Try fitting that on a fridge magnet. 🏰🦛
Have you visited Pembroke Castle or Wogan Cavern recently? And be honest, did you know about the prehistoric hippo? Let us know in the comments. 👇
