Carmarthen Castle and County Hall, Carmarthenshire, Wales. Open Daily. Free Entry.
Details
Accessibility:
There is a pay and display car park surrounding County Hall and next to the castle ruins, but it is only open to the public at weekends (Sat-Sun 8am - 6pm) – there are several disability spaces. Other car parks in Carmarthen are open all day, every day, but are at least a 10-minute walk away. Not all parts of the castle ruins are accessible due to staircases but most of it can be seen from the level, well-paved areas around the castle. There are no toilets at the castle ruins, but there are RADAR toilets around Carmarthen’s town centre. For those travelling by car, it is most easily accessible at weekends and bank holidays by using the County Hall car park. Otherwise during weekdays the castle gatehouse on the north side of its site, where Spilman Street meets Castle Hill only has limited Loading parking and NO disability parking spaces, so the best way to access this is for disabled people to use their own mobility scooters or hire one from Carmarthen Shopmobility.
Brief Description:
There has been a Norman castle on this site since 1105. It was considered important and was taken over by the crown. It was at the heart of the Welsh/English struggles in the 12C and 13C. The castle became a prison in 1789 and a gaol was eventually built in 1869 in the open space of the outer ward. The castle became a ruin and the gaol became known as County Hall - now a Grade II listed building and home of Carmarthenshire County Council. The town's tourist information centre is situated within the northern Castle wall, close to where its gatehouse is located where Spilman Street meets Castle Hill.
Further Information:
Address:
County Hall, Carmarthen SA31 1JP
Telephone:
Carmarthenshire County Council - 01267 234567
Tourist Information Office - 01267 231557 (inside the northern wall of the Castle)
Email:
Tourist Information Office - carmarthentic@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Website:
http://www.castlewales.com/carmarth.html
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/300082151-county-hall-carmarthen#.WWTAZ4jytPY
Opening Hours:
Castle – Open Daily
County Hall – opening subject to council’s hours
Directions:
The castle ruins and County Hall are situated in the centre of Carmarthen where Spilman Street meets Castle Hill, (which only has limited Loading parking for commercial vehicles and NO disability parking spaces) just off the A40 and A484. For those travelling by car, it is most easily accessible at weekends and bank holidays by using the County Hall car park and to then approach the Castle ruins from the south.
OS SN413199
Transport:
For more travel information go to https://www.traveline.info/ or call 0871 200 22 33.
Amenities:
There are no amenities on site, but there are plenty of pubs, restaurants, take-aways (including a Subway branch immediately opposite the gatehouse on the northern wall of the Castle), cafes and shops just a short distance away in Carmarthen town centre.
Travel Information
For further travel information in Wales please see: www.traveline.cymru/travel-info
Or call Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000