Castlemorris
{{Short description|Village in Mathry, Pembrokeshire, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = Wales
| static_image = Aerial Photograph of Castle Morris - geograph.org.uk - 946657.jpg
| static_image_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|51.9434|-5.0534|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Castlemorris
| welsh_name = Casmorys
| community_wales = Mathry
| unitary_wales = Pembrokeshire
| constituency_westminster = Preseli Pembrokeshire
| constituency_welsh_assembly = Preseli Pembrokeshire
| post_town = Haverfordwest
| postcode_district = SA62
| postcode_area = SA
| dial_code =
| os_grid_reference = SM9042632387
}}
Castlemorris ({{langx|cy|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).Charles, B. G., The Placenames of Pembrokeshire, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, 1992, {{ISBN|0-907158-58-7}}, p 197 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,{{cite ODNB |author= Walker, David |title=David fitz Gerald |year=2004 |doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/7209}}
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.{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Dictionary of Welsh Biography |entry=WOGAN families, Pembrokeshire|url=https://biography.wales/article/s-WOGA-PEN-1250|access-date=5 September 2016}}
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.{{cite web|website=British listed Buildings |title=Pencnwc |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-12956-pencnwc-b4331-n-side-castle-morris-casmor|access-date=4 September 2016}} 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.{{cite news|newspaper=The Pembroke County Guardian and Cardigan Reporter|title=Castlemorris|url=http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4252229/4252235/35/Castlemorris|access-date=4 September 2016|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916174328/http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4252229/4252235/35/Castlemorris|url-status=dead}} From 1906 George Evans was the village smith.{{cite news|newspaper=The County Echo|date=25 October 1906|title=Castlemorris|url=http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3666479/3666482/23/Castlemorris|access-date=4 September 2016|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916174234/http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3666479/3666482/23/Castlemorris|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite news|newspaper=Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph|date=3 August 1910|title=Property Sale|url=http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4117892/4117894/4/Castlemorris|access-date=4 September 2016|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916175220/http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4117892/4117894/4/Castlemorris|url-status=dead}} The village had a post office in 1916.{{cite news|newspaper=Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph|title=Death of Mrs Thomas, Castlemorris|url=http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4118927/4118930/22/Castlemorris|date=27 December 1916|access-date=4 September 2016|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916180028/http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4118927/4118930/22/Castlemorris|url-status=dead}}
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.{{cite news|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1328746/Lord-Morris-of-Castle-Morris.html|title=Lord Morris of Castle Morris: Obituary|access-date=4 September 2016}}
Today
File:Pub at Castlemorris - geograph.org.uk - 1747592.jpg
The building that housed the former shop and post office is now Gwesty Bach, the village pub.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Mathry Historical information and sources (Mathry parish) on GENUKI]
- [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/Ambleston/ParishMap Pre-1850 parish map - Map 58]
- [http://newspapers.library.wales/search?range%5Bmin%5D=1804&range%5Bmax%5D=1919&query=Castlemorris&category%5B%5D=News&category%5B%5D=Family+Notices&category%5B%5D=Detailed+Lists%2C+Results+and+Guides Historical information at Welsh Newspapers online]
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