SWANSEA CASTLE

Glamorganshire

Swansea Castle, Glamorganshire

With the best will in the world Swansea is not the most attractive City in the country, and the Castle is hardly situated in salubrious environs.

The Castle's history is not particularly impressive either.  A motte was raised here by Henry Beaumont, Lord of Gower soon after the Normans reached this part of the country.  This was attacked and burnt around 1115.  When it was rebuilt it was probably as an enclosure Castle, but from all accounts this was a poor construction as it needed rebuilding in the late 13th/early 14th Century when some of the second structure was incorporated into the Castle the remains of which stand today.

The arcaded parapet is quite unusual and one of the Castle's most attractive features, otherwise what remains is one wall, one complete tower and some ruins.  The Castle was badly damaged during Owain Glyndwr's rebellion and never seems to have regained its importance from then.

The Castle stands on public land in a not particularly pleasant part of town.

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© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions and Andrew J. Müller
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2001

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