A National Lottery Heritage Fund £368,000 initial funding boost for the regeneration of Haverfordwest’s castle ahead of a hoped-for £2.6m funding bid brings it “one step closer to preserving it and reinventing it for future generations.”

Pembrokeshire County Council and community partner Haverfordwest Castle CIO have received an initial £368,525 support the from the fund for a project called Haverfordwest Castle: Pembrokeshire’s Heritage Gateway.

This will help the partnership progress its plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant next year, in the hopes of a full funding award of £2,682,794, to deliver the scheme.

The project aims to transform the disused Grade-II-listed county gaol building at the heart of the site into a state-of-the-art interactive discovery centre.

As well as developing the old gaol building, the project aims to complete a full re-fit and re-interpretation of Haverfordwest Town Museum in the adjacent Governor’s House, new outdoor interpretation in the castle, new branding, a website and marketing strategy.

It forms part of the 2021 secured £17.7m of UK Gov Levelling Up funding in the county town.

It is hoped the final phase of the castle project will be ready for opening in 2027, funded by a full NLHF grant, alongside match-funding from the council and other smaller scale grants.

Pembrokeshire County Council Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players. The castle has been the heart of Haverfordwest and indeed Pembrokeshire for well over 900 years and it’s wonderful to know that we are one step closer to preserving it and reinventing it for future generations.”

Haverfordwest Castle CIO the new, not-for-profit, independent charity will run the castle, museum and visitor attraction.

Chair of Trustees for Haverfordwest Castle CIO Ted Sangster said: “We are delighted to be a partner with Pembrokeshire County Council on this important regeneration project. We’re very optimistic that the attraction will provide a new focus for visitors to come to Haverfordwest and lead to a much-needed economic boost for this historically and culturally rich community.”

The County Gaol and Governor’s House were first built within the walls of Haverfordwest castle in 1779. The gaol housed over 400 French prisoners of war in 1797 following the failed last invasion of Britain at Fishguard.

The council acquired the castle in 1963, when the gaol became home to Pembrokeshire Records Office and Museum; since 2013, when the archives relocated to Prendergast, it has stood empty.