Welsh Castlepalooza Continues!
Today we saw three, three castles. Ah...ah...AAAAHHH!
First up, Pembroke Castle. This castle is a huge, imposing, massive, fortress. It looms.
It is also the birthplace of the founder of my favorite family of monarchs - Henry VII. His mother, Margaret Beaufort, nearly died during a very difficult childbirth. She was only 13 years old at the time, and she never had any more children, so there is speculation the birth caused lasting damage. However, her relentless ambition completely paid off and she managed to maneuver her son, starting with only a very slight claim, onto the throne. She also outlived him. (What can I say? I find the Tudor women fascinating! I would seriously go on about her for a long time if nobody stopped me. Those Tudor women...so strong! So bold!) Ahem. This is the Henry VII Tower in Pembroke Castle, where this birth is thought to have occurred.
And here is the actual room, where they've set up a little scene, with Margaret of Beaufort looking not at all as though she is either 13 years old, nor having recently gone through a hugely traumatic birth that lasted several days and nearly killed her.
There is a huge 75-foot tower in the center of the castle keep. Here is Cathyn at the top of the tower. He has a similar picture of me at the top of the tower.
Here is Cathyn, taken from the top of the tower. I have to admit that as I ascended the narrow, uneven spiral stairs to get up to the top of the tower I may have felt a little touch of acrophobia. Just a little.
Pembroke Castle was awesome in every sense of the word. After that we strolled down Pembroke's High Street to their Antique Marketplace in an old chapel. Here is the wild Cathyn in his native setting:
Then we picked up some cheese and fruit for a picnic lunch. Next stop, Manorbier Castle. Several films have been shot here, and word to the wise: They rent this one out for weddings and have a few finished-ish rooms for holding them in!
We went in through the Secret Entrance.
I realized I've been skimping on the selfies lately. Never fear, I've taken steps to address the deficiency today!
Oh, also, there's a private residence in this castle. You can sort of see the finished roof in the middle bottom of this picture. It's a house. Somebody LIVES HERE!! How, how do I get my name into the hat for that duty??
Next stop was Carew, where they have both a castle and a tidal mill. What's a tidal mill, I hear you ask? Here's an article on that. It's ingenious!
First, though, the castle. You know what I've discovered? I never get bored of castles. Never ever. I get quite bored of churches and cathedrals, and my interest can certainly flag given enough time in museums. But never castles. I can look at 3 castles in a day, and still want to walk every staircase, hallway, doorway, dark passage, and tower that I can. Never not interesting, to me.
You can just make out some coats of arms in the ruined wall.
Carew Castle is also home to a colony of protected horseshoe bats! So that tower is blocked off for them. I don't mind a bit! I was just sad I didn't get to see one.
Gratuitous castle selfie!
Then, we took a walk out to the tidal mill. I can't get over how lovely it is to be walking along a path with a castle just hanging out there next to it.
The Tidal Mill, I found it to be an ingenious contraption! Also they had an exhibit inside all about milling and its history.
Also, if you're interested in this sort of thing, apparently there's a club for you!
After visiting the mill we walked a loop back around the castle, just to spend a little more time drinking in the stunning Welsh countryside, with castle!
And we're off to a pub for some dinner now. Tomorrow morning there are apparently going to be massages, at cathyn's insistence, as we are on vacation. Then...well, we haven't planned that far ahead. We'll see what tomorrow brings when we get there!