Picton Castle

In the community of Slebech. In the historic county of Pembrokeshire (Modern authority of Pembrokeshire, preserved county of Dyfed).

The Castle was probably built by Sir John Wogan, who was Justiciar of Ireland between 1295 and 1308. The plan is unusual. The castle has no internal courtyard, and originally the main block was protected by seven projecting circular towers: the two at the east end were linked to form a gatehouse, and the entrance led straight through a portcullis into the undercroft of the hall, a very unusual feature. There was a walled courtyard around the castle but probably no moat. Picton's closest architectural affinities are with a group of Irish castles built in C13- Carlow, Lea and Ferns - but these had four circular towers at the corners of rectangular main blocks instead of seven as at Picton. Much later alteration.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN01071343

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 103578
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 3605 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/picton.html
    http://www.pictoncastle.co.uk/
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/158/pictoncastle.htm
    http://www.cambria.org.uk/HLC/milford/area/329.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/picton.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p218-20
    Hull, Lise, 2005, Castles and Bishops Palaces of Pembrokeshire (Logaston Press) p182-4
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p172-3
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p108-9
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p120-1
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p80
    Jones, Francis, 1996, Historic Houses of Pembrokeshire (Brawdy Books)
    Miles, Dillwyn, 1979 (Revised 1988), Castles of Pembrokeshire (Pembrokeshire Coast National Park) p31-2
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p396
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p374
    Stickings, T.G., 1973, Castles and Strongholds of Pembrokeshire (Tenby) p113-117
    RCAHMW, 1925, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Pembrokeshire (HMSO) p383
    Edwards, Emily Hewlett, 1909, Castles and Strongholds of Pembrokeshire (Tenby) p42-3 http://www.archive.org/stream/castlesstronghol00edwauoft
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p478-80
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47884#s15
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p427
• Journal Articles
  • King, D.J.C., 1976, ‘Picton Castle’, The 123rd Annual Meeting in South Pembrokeshire, 1976, CAA p39-40
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Hague, D.B., 1964, 'Picton Castle' Archaeological Journal Vol119 p341
    Girouard, 1960, Country Life Vol127 p18-21, 66-9, 170-3
    1922, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol77 p478-80