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Manorbier and Jameston

Manorbier is a lovely seaside village with a superb sandy cove popular with surfers and a fine medieval castle overlooking the bay. The birthplace of Gerald of Wales (Giraldus Cambrensis) and a favourite haunt of George Bernard Shaw and Virginia Woolf. The village has a cosy pub and an interesting Norman Church. Manorbier was designated as a conservation area by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in 1997.

Picture: Manorbier Castle and beach

Manorbier Castle's basic plan is almost rectangular, and consists of a sturdy battlemented curtain wall with niches and powerful corner towers, impressive gatehouse, a complex hall-range, and a huge barn. Manorbier was first given to The Norman knight Odo de Barri, who was also granted Penally and Begelly in gratitude for his military help in conquering Pembrokeshire after 1003. He built an earth and timber fortification, which was gradually replaced with a stone structure. His fourth son was Gerald de Barri. Known commonly as Gerald of Wales (the great twelfth century scholar, known as Giraldus Cambrensis) who was born at the castle. Renowned today for his chronicles and descriptions of life in his time. The de Barris owned the castle until 1359, after which time ownership changed hands on several occasions, becoming property of the monarchy in the late 15th century. By 1630 Queen Elizabeth sold the castle (then considered "ruynous ... quite decayed") to the Bowen family of Trefloyne. The Philips family of Picton Castle bought the castle in 1670 who leased it to J.R. Cobb in the late 19th century. It was Cobb who undertook much of the restoration work. The castle only suffered two minor assaults: the first, in 1327, when Richard de Barri stormed Manorbier to claim what was rightfully his, and, then, in 1645 during the English Civil War, when the castle was seized and slighted by Cromwell's Roundheads.

Picture: The southern aspect of Manorbier Castle

Features of Manorbier Castle include a stunning location perched above the beach; a well preserved masonry, chapel, round tower and gatehouse; numerous stairs, towers, rooms and battlements to explore and an inner ward laid out to gardens.

Also in the village is the restored Beer House and a dovecote below the castle walls. On the Coast Path to the east is The King's Quoit, a strange stone cromlech on the coast path overlooking the bay.

Picture: Manorbier beach from The Coast Path near Kings Quoit

The beach at Manorbier is mostly sandy. There is a beach car park, operated by The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

There is one small hotel in Manorbier plus several B&Bs, guesthouses and farms. There are also some B&Bs in neighbouring villages such as Lydstep and Jameston and at Swanlake Bay. There are several camp sites and touring caravan parks plus several holiday parks on the edge of the village with self catering static caravans available. Numerous self catering cottages are available all along this part of Pembrokeshire including in Manorbier itself. Manorbier Youth Hostel is on the eastern side of the village alongside The Coast Path, half way to Lydstep.

The only pub in Manorbier, The Castle Inn, serves meals as does the Swan Lake Inn in Jameston. Tea rooms can be found at Manorbier Garden Centre and at Swan Lake Farm.

Walking The Coast Path is good in either direction, although having to walk around the perimeter of Manorbier Camp does detract from the walk towards Tenby. It also limits shorter circular routes. Heading west, you pass the remote Swanlake Bay and Freshwater East.

Beach Awards
Manorbier beach has a Green Coast Award.