News

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

Published

10 months 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.

News

Amber weather warning as ‘danger to life’ rain set to hit Pembrokeshire

Published

2 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Dyfed-Powys Police and council teams prepare as Monday deluge expected

COMMUNITIES across Pembrokeshire are being urged to brace for severe weather after the Met Office issued an amber “danger to life” warning for heavy rain, covering the county from 4:00am to 9:00pm on Monday (Dec 15).

Up to 80mm of rain is expected widely, with 100mm possible on higher ground in north Pembrokeshire and the Preseli foothills. With rivers already running high following weeks of persistent wet weather, Natural Resources Wales says there is a heightened risk of flooding in low-lying areas, including parts of Haverfordwest, Remington Bridge, Merlin’s Bridge, Tenby, Neyland and along the Western Cleddau.

Travel disruption likely

The Met Office warns that fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life, with road flooding likely on key Pembrokeshire routes such as the A40, A487 and A478. Bus and rail services may face disruption.

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers would be monitoring known flood hotspots throughout Monday and urged drivers to avoid non-essential travel during the worst of the downpours.

A police spokesperson said: “Please plan ahead. Do not risk driving through floodwater. Conditions may change very quickly.”

Yellow warnings already in place

A yellow rain warning is active for southwest Wales from midnight tonight (Sun 14 Dec). A separate yellow warning for mid and north Wales began this afternoon.

Pembrokeshire County Council said its highways and emergency planning teams are on standby, with extra staff monitoring river gauges and drainage across the county. Sandbags are available where required.

Residents urged to prepare

Natural Resources Wales is advising residents in flood-prone areas to take precautions today, including:

Checking local flood alerts
Moving valuables upstairs where possible
Securing outdoor items against strong winds
Checking on vulnerable neighbours

The Herald understands that emergency services expect the heaviest rainfall between 6:00am and 3:00pm on Monday, with further unsettled weather forecast later in the week.

More updates to follow

This is a developing story. The Pembrokeshire Herald will bring live updates as information comes in from the Met Office, NRW, PCC and emergency services.

Health

Major investment confirmed for GP services in Wales

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Government unveils £41m boost, but practices warn pressures remain acute

MORE than £41m in extra funding will go into general practice in Wales this year following a new agreement between the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and GP leaders. Ministers say the deal provides stability at a time of rising demand — but the settlement comes against a backdrop of sustained pressures, recruitment challenges and concerns over patient access.

The package includes a 4% uplift to the General Medical Services (GMS) contract for 2025-26, in line with independent DDRB pay recommendations, and a guaranteed 5.8% recurrent uplift from 2026-27. The Welsh Government says the multi-year commitment will allow practices to plan ahead, modernise systems and strengthen community-based services.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the investment showed an “unwavering commitment” to general practice, adding: “The 4% pay uplift ensures fair recognition for GPs and practice staff who work tirelessly to deliver care for communities across our country. Multi-year funding gives practices the confidence to invest in the transformation primary care needs.”

However, the announcement comes at a time when many Welsh practices continue to report severe workforce pressures, rising demand, and longstanding challenges in recruiting new partners. GP numbers have fallen over the past decade, with some practices handing back contracts or operating list closures because of unsustainable workloads. Patient satisfaction with access has also declined, according to the latest Welsh GP Patient Survey.

What the deal includes

The settlement for 2025-26 comprises £37.9m of new investment and £4m in re-invested capacity funding, with the key elements including:

A 1.77% uplift in expenses, intended to help practices manage inflationary pressures in energy, staffing and running costs.
A recurrent £20m stabilisation fund to support practices facing immediate operational pressures and to prepare for wider reform under the incoming Sustainable Farming Scheme model for health.
An increased partnership premium, aimed at retaining experienced GPs and encouraging new partners into a model that some say has become less attractive due to financial and regulatory risk.
A full review of the GMS allocation formula — the first in more than 20 years — which determines how funding is distributed between practices. Some rural and deprived communities have long argued the current system does not reflect the complexity of local health needs.

Wider context

General practice remains the foundation of the NHS, accounting for around 90% of patient contacts, yet it receives a proportionally small share of the overall health budget compared with hospital services. Both the Welsh NHS Confederation and GPC Wales have repeatedly warned that without sustained investment, primary care risks being unable to meet increasing demand from ageing populations and rising chronic illness.

The Welsh Government’s own “community-by-design” programme relies on shifting more care closer to home, reducing pressure on emergency departments and supporting earlier intervention. For that to be achieved, GP leaders say investment needs to be matched with workforce expansion, improved digital systems, and clear strategies to retain experienced clinicians.

Working groups will now be set up to examine access standards, diabetes prevention and new service models.

Mr Miles said he was pleased that GPs would be “actively contributing to creating innovative care models that enhance access, improve outcomes and deliver care locally.”

GP representatives broadly welcomed the deal but have stressed that it is only one step in addressing the scale of challenge across primary care.

Community

Narbelles WI support Food Bank with festive donation

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Group marks December meeting with charity collection and Christmas celebrations

NARBELLES WI rounded off the year with a festive December meeting featuring a bring-and-share buffet, party games and a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Members also used the occasion to support families in need across the county, collecting food items and presenting a £120 cheque to Ann Watling from Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The donation represents the proceeds of the group’s bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week 2024.

A spokesperson for the WI said the group was delighted to finish the year “with fun, friendship and a chance to give something back to the community.”

(Photo: Narbelles WI members presenting the cheque to Ann Watling, Pembrokeshire Food Bank.)