Explore Lamphey Bishop’s Palace near Pembroke from wherever you are, with two newly uploaded YouTube videos from Clare Simion.

Clare, who says on her new channel that she likes visiting castles and learning about history, has uploaded 10 videos of Pembrokeshire so far, including Broadhaven South, Stackpole and two totalling over five minutes’ footage of Lamphey Bishop’s Palace in the solitude of a clear winter’s day.

The grand medieval Bishop’s Palace at Lamphey was a residence of the bishops of St Davids. It was established before the Norman invasion, and used until the Reformation when it changed hands, continuing as a noble house into the 17th century. The structures visible today were mainly the work of Henry de Gower, bishop of St Davids from 1328 to 1347. The palace would have included private accommodation, a grand great hall, first-floor chamber, fishponds, fruit orchards, vegetable gardens 144-acres of parkland. Sensitively renovated, the site is managed by Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.

“The bishops used Lamphey as a country retreat, an escape from the burdens of Church and State. Although just a short distance from St Davids itself, it was a million miles away from the simple, strict life led by austere ‘Dewi the Waterdrinker’, St David, patron saint of Wales, who lived many centuries earlier,” says the Cadw website. “These worldly, wealthy, influential men enjoyed their home comforts.”

The remains of the Bishop’s Palace are open daily from 10am to 4pm. Admission is currently free while the visitor centre is closed, with access gained via the side gate. Dogs on short leads are welcome to access ground floor levels only. TripAdvisor reviews praise the site for its architecture and tranquility. The site has parking for up to 15 cars and is available to hire for events, filming and exhibitions.