News

Cardigan Castle’s chatelaine endured years of squalor to retain her beloved home

Published

1 year ago

February 3, 2025

For over half a century, Barbara Wood lived a life of abject squalor as the unrelenting chatelaine of Cardigan Castle.

With no electricity, gas nor running water, her living conditions were extreme. But as the property continued its relentless decay, the spinster clung onto her realm with an unquenchable commitment. Despite the concerns of the people around her, nobody was going to take Cardigan Castle away from Barbara Wood.

“She’s a very difficult woman to sum up as she combined so many contrasting characteristics,” said local historian Glen Johnson.

“In many ways she was a Jeckyll and Hyde. She was intelligent, witty and charming, but she could also be stern, bad tempered, selfish, manipulative and cantankerous. In many ways she was like Marmite. You either loved her or you hated her.”

Barbara Wood, pictured outside Cardigan Castle

Glen first met Miss Wood when he was a 14-year-old schoolboy with a keen interest in local history – particularly Cardigan Castle. The following year -1985 -he helped establish Cardigan Castle Volunteers.

“I was a little nervous when I first met her because this, after all, was the woman who owned Cardigan Castle.

“And what struck me about her more than anything was that she was a living version of Miss Havisham. She still saw herself as the lady of the manor despite the fact that everyone else could see the awful conditions she was living in, and the way in which the castle was being neglected.”

Barbra Wood bought the castle in 1940, after receiving an inheritance on her 21st birthday. The asking price was £2,500, however her gift enabled her to have just enough money to cover the cost of the deposit, which totalled £600.

She moved in with her mother but within 12 months, they’d accrued a substantial bill as a result of the electricity they’d used. Their electricity supply was subsequently cut off in 1941, shortly followed by the gas supply and the water supply.

Following her mother’s death , Miss Woods remained confined to one room.

“She slept in an old chair filled with blankets so she could keep herself warm, but there was a small hole in the ceiling and a much larger hole in the roof of the floor above,” says Glen.

“So she could see the stars quite clearly from where she was living. The kitchen had this overwhelming smell of paraffin and cat pee, as well as the demon fridge. Obviously the fridge wasn’t working, as there was no electricity, and when you opened the door, the stench from inside was horrendous.

“She’d then take out some fluffy object and eat it.”

Despite the house being surrounded by two-and-a-half acres of trees, Miss Wood chose to tear up the parquet flooring in the dining room together with the joists and skirting boards and use them to light fires to keep herself warm.

Shde would never rise before noon, and would never be seen outside the castle gates until 5pm.

“This stemmed back to the days when the bailiffs would be waiting outside the castle gates,” explained Glen. “She knew they bailiffs would knock off at 5pm, so she’d never venture out until then.”

With a curvature of the spine as a result of all the years she’d spent sleeping in a chair, Miss Woods would hobble through the streets of Cardigan on two sticks, always wearing a bright yellow PVC mac, a red pixie hood and bright red socks. Her face was caked in thick white powder and her lips were painted scarlet.

“Yes, there were a lot of shopkeepers in town who didn’t think highly of her as a result of the money that she owed them, but then, conversely, many people admired her stoicism and the fact that despite all the adversity she endured, she remained a proud and independent woman.

“I remember one afternoon we were doing some work in the castle grounds and we went up to ‘Kwik Chip’, next door to the castle, to get some fish and chips for lunch. It was during the summer holidays and there was a long queue inside the shop, but suddenly we heard these clicks making their way down to the counter. I knew immediately it was Miss Wood on her sticks, and she made her way to the front of the queue, poked the person who was in front in the ribs to push them back, and she said to the person who was serving, ‘I want sausage and chips’. Needless to say, she got her own way.”

It was this over-riding doggedness that resulted in Barbara Woods’ repeated rejections of attempts to salvage her castle.

“Miss Woods could most certainly have got assistance, but the biggest stumbling block was the fact that if public money was spent, then there would have to be public control. But she wasn’t willing to relinquish this. Every time it looked as if the castle might be moving in a positive direction, either by CADW or by Ceredigion County Council, she would once again get obstructive.”

Deteriorating ill health eventually resulted in Miss Wood being admitted to the Brondesbury Lodge Nursing Home, Cardigan, in 1996, where she remained until her death in 2009. She was buried in a pauper’s grave in Cardigan Cemetery.

Six years before her death, Miss Wood finally sold the castle to Ceredigion County Council for £500,000 and its restoration has been a driving force in the town’s subsequent revival.

“Miss Woods once told a journalist that it broke her heart to see the castle in the condition it was in during her time there,” concludes Glen Johnson.
“Obviously the castle has evolved considerably in the past 20 years, but there are times when I’m inside it, when I remember exactly how it once was. I’ve no doubt that Miss Woods would be a bit sniffy about all these people walking around her home, but I’m certain that she’d appreciate all the attention that her home is now getting.

“There must have been times when she felt like all the rest of us, yearning to see the property that she cared for being saved for future generations.”

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the launch of Cardigan Castle Volunteers, Glen Johnson will be hosting an afternoon of anecdotes and memories of Barbara Wood which takes place at Theatr Mwldan on April 12.

Crime

Man charged with attempted murder after Carmarthen park incident

Published

13 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

57-year-old due in court following alleged knife and stalking offences

A MAN has been charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in Carmarthen town centre last week.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that James McKenna, aged 57, from Carmarthen, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and stalking.

The charges relate to an incident in Carmarthen Park on Thursday (Jan 29), which prompted a significant emergency services response and caused concern among residents.

Police have not yet released full details of the circumstances, but officers were seen in and around the park area for several hours following the incident while enquiries were carried out.

McKenna is due to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday (Feb 5).

The Herald understands the case involves allegations of both violence and targeted behaviour towards an individual, with stalking listed among the charges.

Public concern

Carmarthen Park is a popular and busy public space used daily by families, dog walkers and joggers, and incidents of this severity are rare.

The news has prompted concern locally, particularly as the alleged offences include possession of a knife in a public place.

Residents have previously raised questions about safety in parks and open spaces across west Wales, especially during darker winter evenings.

Court proceedings

At this stage, the charges remain allegations and the case will now proceed through the courts.

Magistrates will decide whether the case is sent to Crown Court due to the seriousness of the attempted murder charge.

Further details are expected to emerge during Thursday’s hearing.

The Herald will be attending court and will provide updates as they become available.

Crime

Sex offender jailed after living off grid in Pembrokeshire and refusing to register

Published

14 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Court Reporter

Man walked into police station after months avoiding authorities

A CONVICTED sex offender who told police he intended to live “off grid” rather than comply with legal monitoring rules has been jailed after handing himself in at a Pembrokeshire police station.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence at Swansea Crown Court after admitting breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

The court heard Spelman was released from prison in Dorset on July 4 last year but immediately refused to provide police with an address, despite being legally required to do so within three days.

Instead, he indicated he planned to buy a tent and live outdoors.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson said officers subsequently launched a nationwide search when Spelman failed to make contact with police. Public appeals were issued and his case featured on the television programme Crimewatch.

Detectives believed he had been travelling around the UK using public transport and staying at campsites. He was known to have links to several areas including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire.

His whereabouts remained unknown until January 3 this year, when he walked into Haverfordwest police station and was arrested. It is unclear how long he had been in Pembrokeshire.

Spelman previously served seven years in prison after being convicted in 2014 of 12 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The court heard this was not the first time he had failed to comply with the rules. After an earlier release in 2016, he again failed to register his address and avoided police for around five years before being caught.

He has 11 previous convictions for 29 offences.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the case as unusual and said his client had long disputed his original conviction and had expressed a wish to live “outside society”.

However, he said Spelman had gradually accepted that he remained subject to court orders and now wanted more stable accommodation and a chance to rebuild his life. The defendant asked the court to impose a custodial sentence so arrangements could be made for his future release.

Judge Geraint Walters noted there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any further breaches would result in longer prison terms.

With credit for his guilty plea, Spelman was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

20 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.