Wales is famous for its castles. More per square mile than anywhere else in the world apparently. Over 600 in total and that doesn’t include those which are little more than bumps in the ground. Here in Glamorgan, it is safe to say “we’ve got loads”, but you may be surprised to hear that it’s difficult to put an exact number on it. For a variety of reasons.
For example Cyfartha Castle in Merthyr Tydfil. Pictured here. It may have the word ‘castle’ in its name. It may also have crenelations. But in reality it is a 19th Century mansion built by the Crawshay family to look like a castle. So, should we count that one?
We run into similar problems with the enigmatic Castell Coch pictured at the top of this item. The site this castle is built on has been a castle since the early medieval period. In fact we have a fabulous story about its inhabitant from the early 12th Century. The Welsh Lord of Senghenydd called Ifor Bach.
He took issue with William Fitz Robert, the Norman Earl of Glamorgan for taking his land. So he rode down to Cardiff Castle and kidnapped William, his wife, their son and the daughter of the Earl of Leicester, and held them all hostage until he received due compensation.
That sounds all together more ‘castley’ doesn’t it. (Probably not a real word) But then you have to take into account that the building where all this happened all those centuries ago is not the one you are looking at today. The building there now is more of a Victorian ‘folly’ than a medieval castle.
The reason; William Crichton Stuart, the Marquis of Bute, who owned this land was obsessed with gothic, medieval architecture. But not the genuine stuff we have loads of around here. But a fairy tale version of it. So he commission an architect called Burgess to build him a castle based on ‘his idea’ of what a medieval castle should be. Ironically Burgess had to pull down what remained of the real medieval castle to do it!
This structure owes its appearance to a visit to Carcassonne in southern France rather than to the original medieval castle it replaced.
Having said all that, there are a lot of very genuine medieval castles here too. Cardiff Castle for example. It may have started out as a Roman fort, but in the late 11th Century it was taken over and rebuilt by Robert Fitzhamon, Duke of Gloucester and became the Norman stronghold of the region. The keep and black tower in particular are fantastic examples of Norman/ Mid Medieval castle architecture.
Then of course you have the nearby Caerphill Castle. Occupying 30 acres, it is the largest castle in Wales. Built by Gilbert de Claire to protect his northern lands from raiding Welsh lords between 1268-71. As genuine and unique an example of medieval military architecture as you could hope to find any where.
So, its not the number of castles we’ve got here that’s the important thing. It is the variety and breadth of architecture we have in Glamorgan. It is quite breath taking .
On the Glamorgan History Walks you get to visit some of the most interesting. To see them for your self, and to hear the stories of what happened there.
Beyond the castles of course, there are also plenty of significant manor house and great houses that we visit on our walks too. Just as impressive, just as much history and in many cases achingly beautiful.
So if you want to come along and explore them with us, here’s the list. It also tells you which walks you can see them on, and what dates they take place. Click on the dates to see more information on any of the walks and to buy tickets.
Please note that on our walks we will show you, or take you to these castles and houses, but in most cases we will not be going inside them.
Castles and related walks
- Cardiff Castle: Cardiff Historic City Centre (using John Speed’s map of 1610) [8th June]…[10th July]
- Castell Coch: [visible on these walks] The Garth [22nd May]…[25th Aug]
- Caerphilly Castle: [visible on these walks] The Garth [22nd May]…[25th Aug]
- Ruperra Castle: Ruperra Castle and Plas Machen [3rd Aug]
- St Donats Castle: Monknash and St Donats [19th July]…[17th Aug]
- East Orchard Castle: St Athan [3rd July]
- De St Quentin Castle: Cowbridge Blue Plaques [29th May]…[26th June] and Cowbridge and St Hilary [2nd Aug]
- Dunraven Castle: Dunraven and Ogmore [5th May]… [28th Sept]
- Ogmore Castle: Dunraven and Ogmore [5th May]… [28th Sept] and Ogmore Castle [8th May]…[15th June]
- Coity Castle: Coity [11th Sept]
- Newcastle Bridgend: Bridgend [4th May]…[10th Aug]
- Kenfig Castle: Kenfig Castle [11th May]…[1st June] and Kenfig and Sker [24th May]…[27th July]…[14th Sept]
- Llangynwyd Castle: Llangynwyd [3rd May]…[13th July]
- Fonmon Castle: Aberthaw and Fonmon [22nd June]…[9th Aug]
- Penllyn Castle: Penllyn & Llansanor [6th Sept]
- Llantrisant: Llantrisant [13th Sept]
- Morlais Castle: Pant and Pontiscill [5th July]
- Candleston Court (AKA Candleston Castle): Newton and Candleston [21st Sept]
- Penmark Castle: Llancarfan [25th May] … [14th Aug]
- Sturmi Castle [visible on this walk]: Cefn Cribwr [31st May]
Great Houses and related walks
- Gileston Manor: St Athan [3rd July]
- Hen Plas, Llantwit Major: Llantwit Major Blue Plaques [24th July]
- Ty Mawr, Llantwit Major: Llantwit Major Blue Plaques [24th July]
- Ty Mawr, Coity: Coity [11th Sept]
- Plas Machen: Ruperra Castle and Plas Machen [3rd Aug]
- Merthyr Mawr House: Merthyr Mawr [10th May]…[23rd Aug]
- Duffryn House: Tinkinswood and St Lythans Burial Chambers [14th June]
- Lansanor Court: Penllyn & Llansanor [6th Sept]
- New Beaupre: Cowbridge and St Hilary [2nd Aug]
- Sker House: Kenfig and Sker [24th May]…[27th July]…[14th Sept]
- Friars Point House: Barry Island [18th May]…[19th June]
- Bedford House: Cefn Cribwr [31st May]
- The Bishops Palace: Llandaff and Glamorgan Canal [5th June]…[21st Aug]
- Cwrt Ar Ala: Dinas Powys [26th July]
For a full list of all the walks, click here. To read reviews of people who joined us on these walks last year, click here.
