THIS year’s talk at the Gild of Freemen Summer Event was on the redevelopment of Haverfordwest Castle, which is part of the Haverfordwest Regeneration Project.

As County Councillor for the Castle Ward, and Burgess of the County Town of Pembrokeshire, Cllr Thomas Tudor said it was lovely to attend the event at the Hotel Mariners, Haverfordwest.

Cllr Thomas Tudor with ??? at Gild of Freemen Summer Event at the Hotel Mariners Haverfordwest.
Martin Green, Chris Martin and Cllr Thomas Tudor at the Gild of Freemen Summer Event (Cllr Thomas Tudor)

There, officers from Pembrokeshire County Council’s regeneration team, explained how the Haverfordwest Castle development project will transform the Castle into a high-quality visitor attraction for local people, schools and visitors to the county.

The mediaeval castle itself has been conserved for future generations, and the Inner Bailey has been landscaped to enable it to hold up to 500 capacity events such as concerts, plays etc, together with other types of events such as craft fairs and Christmas markets. The rest of the castle grounds will be improved, with interpretation on the history of the Castle and associated family activities.

The building housing the Haverfordwest Museum (Governor’s House) will be conserved and the museum exhibition inside will be completely refurbished and modernised.

The gaol building will be transformed into a visitor attraction telling the story of Pembrokeshire's past and potential future in a highly interactive and engaging family friendly way. The attraction will include a café and shop, together with community spaces, in addition to the exhibition itself.

Finally, the physical route between the castle and town centre (Castle back) is receiving plenty of attention to make it a much more attractive journey, supplemented by improved signage to help people get to the Castle and to find their way around the town.

The castle is expected to open in 2028.

Cllr Thomas Tudor with ??? at Gild of Freemen Summer Event at the Hotel Mariners Haverfordwest.
Councillor Thomas Tudor, Pat Swales Barker and painter Maurice Raymond Sheppard are seen at the Gild of Freemen Summer Event at the Hotel Mariners, Haverfordwest. (Cllr Thomas Tudor)

Councillor Tudor also recently met Mark Llewelyn Evans who was carrying out his work shop ABC of Opera with young students at Riverside Library, Haverfordwest.

Cllr Thomas Tudor with Mark Llewelyn Evans
Cllr Thomas Tudor with Mark Llewelyn Evans (left) (Cllr Thomas Tudor)

“For almost a decade, ABC workshops, home of the ‘Academy of Barmy Composers’, have been bringing the magical world of classical music and opera to life, captivating the minds of children, fostering creativity, confidence, teamwork and inclusivity. We were very pleased that they came to Haverfordwest,” said the councillor.