We love using our National Trust membership to visit a new place and as we’ve been enjoying exploring Wales we decided to spend some time at Newton House at Dinefwr, Carmarthenshire. Newton House is a lovely country house surrounded by a National Nature Reserve and 18th century landscape Deer Park.

Exploring Newton House at Dinefwr with kids

We arrived at Newton House and approached it from the car park. We were rewarded with an amazing view of the house which dates from the Jacobean times but was given a facelift in the Venetian Gothic style by its Victorian owners.

Surprisingly dogs are allowed inside Newton House! This was the first time we were able to take our dog inside with us – although we were a little worried how he would behave. Thankfully the staff all fussed over him and even gave him a dog biscuit. He was able to visit all the ground floor rooms, as well as the book shop and cafe. I loved these beautiful sofas which had been used in the filming of Downton Abbey.

We then took it in turns to visit the basement, which included the staff areas and strongrooms, as well as the first floor rooms. We were intrigued by the croquet balls which were stored above the doorway!

I loved all the vintage suitcases. Even though the house was given to the National Trust with little furniture it has a great atmosphere. My daughter really enjoyed Unlocked: 125 objects from Dinefwr with displays of all the objects which had been discovered in the house since the National Trust have been restoring it – which included a handwritten note on a playing card.

The Victorian billiard room has been turned into a cafe so we were able to stop for refreshments before walking to Dinefwr Castle (owned by CADW but free to visit). We passed by the deer park (dogs not allowed) which had been designed by Capability Brown around 1775, and walked up a steep wooded area to reach the castle.

The castle overlooks the River Tywi and is a bit of a steep climb but well worth it for the views. Dinefwr was the chief seat of the Kingdom of Deheubarth and in amazing condition,  despite the castle keep being modified as a summer house by the inhabitants of Newton House in 1660.

You may be interested in our other posts about Wales:

Exploring Tenby with kids and a dog