Castlemorris

Human settlement in Wales

Castlemorris

Location within Pembrokeshire

OS grid referenceSM9042632387Community

Mathry

Principal area

Pembrokeshire

CountryWalesSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townHaverfordwestPostcode districtSA62Police Dyfed-Powys Fire Mid and West Wales AmbulanceWelsh UK Parliament

Preseli Pembrokeshire

Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament

Preseli Pembrokeshire

List of places: UK; Wales; Pembrokeshire

51°56′36″N 5°03′12″W / 51.9434°N 5.0534°W / 51.9434; -5.0534

Castlemorris (Welsh: Casmorys; also known as Castle Morris or Castle Maurice) is a small village in the parish and community of Mathry, Pembrokeshire, Wales, south of the Western Cleddau river, on the B4331 road between Mathry and Letterston. It has a population of roughly 150 people.

History

The Welsh manor (maenor) of Castle Morris lay within the ancient Cantref of Pebediog (later the Hundred of Dewisland).^[1] The manor was granted to Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan by his brother David FitzGerald, then the second Norman approved bishop of St David's,^[2]

Castle Morris may have acquired its name (Castell Maurice) in the 12th century from Maurice FitzGerald, but it may be a far more ancient relic of the pre-Norman Welsh name - Castell Marlais - Marlais then being the name of the reach of the Western Cleddau river which flows immediately below the village.

In 1302 Sir John Wogan, chancellor of St David's, secured a grant of the manor of Castle Morris for the bishop of St David's.^[3]

To the northeast of the village crossroads is the Grade II-listed farmhouse of Pencnwc, a substantial early and late 19th century building that was formerly part of the Bishop of St Davids' estate, leased by Abraham Leach in 1843, and occupied by William Evans.^[4] The farm occupies the site of a former timber castle with stone foundations, of which there are no longer any visible remains.

There was a village shop in 1902.^[5] From 1906 George Evans was the village smith.^[6] In 1910 the village shop, smithy, cottages and 43 acres of land were put up for auction, but bidding only reached £1,900 and the lot was withdrawn.^[7] The village had a post office in 1916.^[8]

Notable people

Brian Morris (1930-2001), poet, critic and Professor of Literature, took the title Baron Morris of Castle Morris when made a life peer in 1990.^[9]

Today

The building that housed the former shop and post office is now Gwesty Bach, the village pub.

References

^ Charles, B. G., The Placenames of Pembrokeshire, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, 1992, ISBN 0-907158-58-7, p 197
^ Walker, David (2004). "David fitz Gerald". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7209. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ "WOGAN families, Pembrokeshire". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
^ "Pencnwc". British listed Buildings. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^ "Castlemorris". The Pembroke County Guardian and Cardigan Reporter. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^ "Castlemorris". The County Echo. 25 October 1906. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^ "Property Sale". Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph. 3 August 1910. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^ "Death of Mrs Thomas, Castlemorris". Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph. 27 December 1916. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^ "Lord Morris of Castle Morris: Obituary". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 September 2016.