First, ditch the car. The entire town is walkable in 20 minutes, but you’ll want hours. Park at the free lot behind the Co-op, then follow the smell of woodsmoke to the Castle Hotel for lunch. Their steak and ale pie uses beer brewed less than 200 yards away. Ask for extra gravy; it’s a local law.
Second, climb the “Moat” mound. The castle might be gone, but the view from the top is a perfect Instagram shot—green valleys, grazing sheep, and the spire of St. John’s Church. Bring a flask of tea and imagine 12th-century bishops yelling at Welsh raiders. Spoiler: the bishops lost. The Welsh are still next door.
Third, talk to a pub owner. Strike up a chat at the Six Bells about the town’s “Mole Man,” a retired teacher who once built a complete scale model of the castle from matchsticks. He kept it in his shed until 2013, when a badger ate it. The story is either true or a brilliant local myth—either way, you’ll get a free refill.
