Castle and Garden History

Upton Castle was built by one of the barons dependant on the Earldom of
Pembroke, possibly by a member of the Malefant family who held Upton (also
known as Occten or Ockten) during the 13th century. Some of the original
building including three turrets still stands today although the inhabited
part dates from the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries. Between two of the
turrets is the Great Hall which contains the original 13th century fireplace
and window openings as well as the stone spiral staircases giving access to
the battlements. Sadly, for safety reasons the castle is not open to the
public.

The castle passed from the Malefants to Owen ape Gryffindor a descendant of
whom took the name of Bowen in 1564. It remained in the Bowen family until
the latter half of the 18th century when it was purchased by John Taker
passing eventually to the Reverend William Evans. In 1927 an Admiral Evans
sold Upton to Mr Stanley Neal who undertook the main landscaping and
planting of the gardens. The work included clearing scrub and undergrowth,
planting with a large variety of exotic trees and shrubs and building stone
terraces. In 2006 Upton was sold (for only the third time in 750 years) by
Mr Neale's daughter and her husband, The Reverend Canon Skelton, to Stephen
and Prue Barlow who are undertaking the present restoration work.

Below are extracts from some historic books and documents:

The chapel at Upton was recorded by Giraldus Cambrensis in c.1200, and was normally subordinate to Nash parish. The Manor of Upton was a castle-guard fee of the Lordship of Pembroke, and had merged with the Manor of Nash by the 14th century under its tenant lords, the Malefants, who built the stone castle at Upton. The ‘Manor of Upton and Nash’ had descended to the influential Bowens by the 16th century.

"UPTON, a parish in the hundred of NARBERTH (but Rawlins says Castlemartin hundred), county of PEMBROKE, SOUTH WALES, 3 1/2 miles (N.E.) from Pembroke, containing 6 inhabitants. This parish, which is exceedingly small, and inhabited only by one gentleman's family, who is proprietor of the whole, occupies an elevated site above a creek of Milford Haven. It was formerly distinguished for its ancient castle which, if not originally built, was anciently occupied, by the family of Maliphant, from whom it passed by marriage to that of Bowen. The castle and its dependencies were subsequently purchased by Mr. Tasker, who devised his estates among his three nieces, one of whom, by marriage, conveyed the castle and a portion of this property to the Rev. William Evans, who is now the owner of the parish. The remains of the ancient castle have been incorporated in the buildings of the present mansion: they consist principally of the entrance gateway, and the two circular bastions by which it was defended; one of these now forms a projecting window in one of the apartments. The present seat occupies a charming situation, and commands beautiful and picturesque views of the surrounding country, and of the ruins of Carew castle, washed at their base by the converging aestuaries which unite to form this branch of the haven. The living is annexed to the rectory of Nash, in the archdeaconry and diocese of St. David's. The church is a small and very ancient edifice, supposed to have been built at the same time as the castle, to which it was formerly attached: it contains some ancient monuments, among which is one having a recumbent effigy of a warrior in complete armour, under a richly sculptured canopy of stone: a clenched hand, issuing from the wall, forms a candelabrum for a taper, for the maintenance of which some fund has been probably left by the deceased or his relatives. There are also several mural monuments to the more recent proprietors of the estate. The average annual expenditure for the relief of the poor, during the few years preceding 1829, amounted to £18. 10."

Captain John Tasker of the East India Company purchased Upton Castle, in the second half of the 18th century. On his death in 1800, the estate devolved on his three nieces as co-heiresses. The estate finally settled on Maria, a grand-niece who married firstly the Rev. Thomas Woods, and, secondly, the Rev. William Evans, of Hook Norton, Pembrokeshire. Their heir was the Rev. William Paynter Evans, the eldest of triplets, of Cosheston, Pembrokeshire, and Upton. The last of the male line to live at Upton Castle was Admiral Richard Evans, who died in 1927. Dr John Tasker Evans of Hertford, Hertfordshire, and Upton Castle was a relative. The estate later passed to Major Richard Charles John Tasker-Evans (d. May 1992), of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

[From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1833).]

 

This parish (Upton) which is exceedingly small, and inhabited only by one gentleman's family, who is proprietor of the whole, occupies an elevated site above a creek of Milford Haven. It was formerly distinguished for its ancient castle, which, if not originally built, was anciently occupied by the family of Maliphant, from whom it passed by marriage to that of Bowen. The castle and its dependencies was subsequently purchased by Mr Tasker, who devided his estates among his three nieces, one of whom, by marriage, conveyed the castle and portion of this property to the Rev. William Evans, who is now the owner of the parish.
The remains of the ancient castle have been incorporated in the building of the present mansion: they consist principally of the entrance gateway, and the two circular bastions by which it was defended; one of these new forms a projecting window in one of the apartments. The present seat occupies a charming situation and commands beautiful and picturesque views of the converging estuaries which unite to form this branch of the haven
Lewis, S., 1833. A Topographical Dictionary of Wales
 

Upton lies within the Daugleddau sector of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park which is centred upon the inner tidal reaches of Milford Haven, formed as a result of the sea drowning the lower reaches of the Western and Eastern Cleddau and the Cresswell and Carew rivers. At low tide duck and waders haunt the long, lonely stretches of estuarine mudflats flanked for the most part by thickly wooded slopes.
Upton Castle gardens occupy a short, secluded and wooded valley tributary to the Carew River.
The mansion, which overlooks the head of the valley, includes parts of a castle built by one of the honorial barons dependant on the Earldom of Pembroke; probably one of the Malefant family who held Upton early in the 13th century. Pembroke was by far the most important Norman lordship in south west Wales and its chief stronghold, the fortress of Pembroke, was strategically sited on one of the arms of Milford Haven.
Others were raised later within its boundaries - Carew, Manorbier, and Tenby together with the smaller outpost of Upton.
Upton Castle passed through a Malefant heiress to Owen ap Gryffydd, whose descendant in 1564 took the name of Bowen. It remained in the family until the latter half of the 18th century, when it was purchased by John Tasker and thereby through marriage was passed into the hands of the Rev William Evans.
In 1927 Upton Castle, then the residence of Admiral R. Evans, was sold to the late Mr. Stanley Neale, in whose family the estate remains.
During his occupancy the main planting and landscaping of Upton Castle gardens, comprising some 14 hectares, took place. Existing woodland was cleared of scrub and undergrowth and planted with a variety of mostly exotic trees and shrubs, and formal terraces overlooking the valley were built with stone brought by horse and cart from a quarry near Pembroke. Prior to 1976 Upton Castle and the surrounding grounds, including the informal woodland garden and formal terraces, were strictly private. In that year, a management agreement was entered into between the present owners, Canon and Mrs. H.N.J. Skelton, and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Committee, thereby allowing public access to the woodland garden and terraces on specified days and at specified times. Upton Castle and the lawns immediately adjacent to the house, however, are not open to the public. The Park Authority has agreed to maintain the gardens and carry out other essential work in order to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area and promote its enjoyment by the visiting public.

Very near the castle is the unique Upton Chapel, dedicated to St. Giles, which is open to the public. The chapel contains several important features including effigies of the Anglo-Norman Malefant family dating from the 13th - 15th century. The figure lying beneath the ornate canopy opposite the entrance is thought to be William Malefant who died in 1362. Clad in a complete suit of chain mail, the figure has a strong resemblance to that of the Black Prince and was buried at Canterbury in 1376. On the south side of the chancel is the effigy of a giant of a man - the figure, minus lower limbs, still measures six foot in length. Of unknown origin, it is considered to be the most ancient of its kind in the country. Tradition has it that this was a Lord of Upton who, returning from long voyages, 'was wrecked and cast lifeless ashore almost within sight of home'. Also in the chancel is the figure of a woman who is thought to be the wife of William Malefant. The clothing styles date the figure as between 1380 and 1420. Another perhaps unique feature in the nave is the candelabra in the form of a clenched fist, and made from yellow sandstone.
It is pierced with a hole for a candle or taper and was formerly used at funerals or other ceremonies. On the north side of the chancel is a stone showing the tonsured head of an ecclesiastic with a floreated cross and damaged inscription. The mural tablets on the chapel walls are to members of the Bowen, Tasker and Evans families - names long associated with Upton following on the Malefants.

Lady Margaret Malefant:

The mansion [at Tythegston] had a tower in the 15th century when the place was mentioned in proceedings before Parliament (Rolls of Parliament, vol 15). This arose on the complaint of Margaret, Lady Malefaunt, who alleged that she had been abducted. On Whit Monday in the year 1437, LEWSE LEYSHON, a trusted man of her husband's, appeared before Lady Malefaunt at Upton Castle in Pembrokeshire with a letter (which was counterfeit) stating that certain enemies lay in wait for her and advising her to fly for safety to her "moder" who lived in London.

Frightened, she decided to go to her mother and LEYHSON agreed to escort her. They travelled for two days and were ambushed in the lordship of Gower, when LEYSON came out in his true colours. She was affrighted by the men "in manner of waire arrayed, with swerdes drawen" who "smoten her upon her arms and yet beaten her servauntes" and had her forth "into the montayns, yet kept her without mete or drink till she was well nigh dede". The next day LEYSON brought her to Tythegston, "Gilbert Turberville is place withyne that lordshippe of Glamorgan and kept her prisoner and manassed her at divers tyme unlesse she would be wedded to the said LEWSE". She had not known that her husband was dead. Gilbert Turberville, who with his wife and the parson of Tythegston, were included in the charge as being parties to the outrage, kept her confined in "a chamber withyne a strong tower" for two more days, when "by wise governance" she left for London.

Upton Castle No. 5093 Locomotive at Birmingham Snow Hill Station. Built in July 1937, withdrawn in January 1963 and scrapped at A. King & Son, Norwich.