Gower Castles
Gower's earliest castles were constructs of earth and timber, built
upon the steepest aspects of hills and coastal promontories. There,
the natural geogaphy of the land often provided as much of a defence
to villages as the fortifications themselves. Most remains of Gower's
Iron Age Hillforts date from around the 6th Century A.D. and evidence
of their quite large scale can still be easily traced in the numerous
mounds and ditches on many of the peninsula's larger hilltops.
However, by the 12th Century A.D. the increasing sophistication and
weaponry employed by invading armies found these earth and timber hillforts
desperately wanting and none stood any real chance of succesfully defending
their occupants against the cruel onslaught of the Normans . After much
bloody and vicious battles, Gower untimately fell under Norman occupancy
and these conquering armies built around their new settlements stone
castles to protect themselves from any future local uprisings.
The common practise of Normans builders was to construct their castles
using the 'motte and bailey' method. This consisted of a mound (motte),
upon which a wooden keep would be erected. This would then be surrounded
by a flat area (bailey), which in turn would be defended by a ditch
or bank. Gower's Norman castles differ from the norm in that they were
constructed using the less common 'ringwork' method. Although similar
to the 'motte and bailey' method, Gower's castles were designed to take
full advantage of the natural landscape to further the defensive potential
for their buildings. Particularly fine examples of this design can be
seen at Pennard Castle and Weobley Castle .
Such was the strength of Norman Rule and the effectiveness of their
castles that it is was not until the early 15th Century that a Welsh
rebellion, led by Owain Glyndwr, finally managed to liberate Gower from
their occupation. Gower's castles were ransacked and brought to ruin
in celebration of the Norman defeat at this time - with only Weobley
and Oxwich Castles (which were never really more than fotrified manor
houses) continuing to be occupied thereafter.
Oystermouth Castle
 The
impressive ruins of Oystermouth Castle is the best preserved castle
on the Gower Peninsula . Open to the public during the tourist season,
for a nominal entrance fee, the site can provide a good couple of hours
exploration for the visitor as well as affording them with superb views
over Swansea , Swansea Bay and Mumbles.
The history of the castle is intricately linked with that of Swansea
Castle . In 1106, Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Warwick, became the first
Norman Lord of Gower and to reward his followers he parceled out the
rich farming land of his new property amongst them (building a castle
for himself at wansea in the meanwhile).
William de Londres and his family were given Oystermouth, and it was
they who founded the first castle at this site, probably of a simple
ringwork and bailey structure. The male line of the de Londres family
ended by 1184 however, and the Lord of Gower took possession of Oystermouth
Castle , adding it to the castles he already owned at Swansea , Loughor
and Pontarddulais. Impressed by both its position and structure, it
was not long thereafter that Oystermouth Castle became the chief residence
for the Earl of Warwick and for the future lords of Gower that were
to follow him.
The early fortification founded here by William de Londres, was continually
modified and improved upon throughout history, as successive Welsh uprisings
kept destroying their earlier counterparts. Most of the castle structure
seen today dates from the late 13th century and the early 14th century.
Oystermouth Castle is also the Gower Peninsula 's most haunted castle.
For more information on this aspect of Oystermouth Castle 's history
click on our ghost and legends link.
Pennard Castle
 Perched
high over the magnificent Three Cliffs Bay , the mysterious Pennard
Castle has to be one of the most picturesque ruins on the Gower Peninsula
. Little is recorded on the history of the stronghold, but it is believed
to be of late 13th century origin and to have been occupied for only
a short period of time before abandonment. With few historical documents
to detail the site, the castle is bathed in an air of superstition with
many legends and folktales noting the castle to be both haunted and
cursed ( See Our Gower Ghost Storiesand
Legends Section )!
Penrice Castle
 By
the second half of the 11th Century, much of Wales had already fallen
to the rule of the conquering Normans and in 1099, after a bitter and
bloody battle, Gower also came under their control. To celebrate their
victory, legend suggests that the Normans constructed an immense castle
upon the site where Gower's army finally succumbed to their superior
invasion force. The result was the most impressive fortification ever
built on the peninsula.
Unfortunately, the site, with its still formidable remains, lays in
private hands and has been denied public access. Tantalising glimpses
of the castle, however, can be gleaned from the A4118 road running from
Penmaen to Reynoldston and, from the linking road, running down to Oxwich
Bay from Oxwich Towers . A footpath also crosses near the castle through
the Penrice Estate.
Oxwich Castle
 Like
Weobley Castle on the northern coast of the Gower Peninsula , Oxwich
Castle is actually a fortified Tudor manor house. Built upon, and incorporating
the 14th century Castle in which he was born, Sir Rhys Mansel constructed
this extensive mansion in the first half of the 16th century.
Sited close to the treacherous shore of Oxwich Bay, the Mansel family
found many an opportunity to gain advantage of their proximity to the
beach by being the first to plunder the treasures of the numerous sailing
vessels that wrecked themselves on the coast here. However, such eager
salvaging brought disaster upon the family when, on 27th December 1557,
Sir Rhys Mansel took possession of the riches from a certain French
trading ship that had come to grief off Oxwich Point during a gale.
The salvage rights to this vessel, to some extent, also belonged to
a Sir George Herbert, one of the most important and powerful men of
Swansea at the time, and he and his men soon descended upon Oxwich Castle
to forcibly argue their rights on the matter. Fearing that the ensuing
argument, between Herbert and his men and Mansel and his own, would
turn bloody, Sir Rhys Mansel's daughter, Anne, rushed outside the castle
to part the two sides. However, as she intervened, she was struck by
a stone thrown by Sir George's angered servant and fell to the ground
bleeding from her head. This episode resulted in her death six days
later. Sir Rice Mansel, took his case to the Star Chamber, which imposed
heavy fines on Sir George and his men. They were also ordered to return
the salvaged goods and to repair all damage caused by the fracas. Additionally
the servant stood trial for his part in Anne Mansel's death.
 However,
as far as the Mansel family were concerned justice had not been done.
The court decided to pardon the stone-throwing servant and Sir George
craftily avoided paying his fine, as he decided to put all his possessions
into trust with his wife as beneficiary. By the time of his death in
1570 he had
managed to avoid paying the sum owed. The bitter feud between the Mansels
and the Herberts lasted for many years until Oxwich castle was abandoned
by the Mansel family in the late 16th century for their new residence
at Margam. The building was leased out to tenant farmers who inhabited
the smaller south wing, whilst the large east block fell into ruin.
The site is presently conserved and maintained by CADW - Welsh Historic
Monuments.
Bovehill Castle
 Also
known as Landimore Castle , there remains little of Bovehill Castle
but a few broken walls, overgrown with ivy and bramble, to remind the
visitor of the building's once illustrious past. Built high on a hill
overlooking the marshland of the Burry Estuary and the quiet hamlet
of Landimore, the castle, like the Gower castles of Oxwich and Weobley,
are not the remains of a true castle but are instead the scant remnants
of a once lavish fortified manor house.
Constructed in the late 18th Century by Sir Hugh Johnys, a Knight Marshall
of England and a veteran of the War of the Roses, after he was awarded
governorship of Landimore by the Duke of Norfolk, who was then the ruling
Lord of Gower.
The castle was one of the few building of the time to have running
water - a lead pipe having been run down to the building from a well
at nearby Ryers Down. Traces of the trench which held this pipe are
still visible to the more observant visitor to the site.
A brass representation of both Sir Hugh Johnys and his wife, Dame Maud,
can be viewed at St. Mary's Church, Swansea .
The castle is unfortunately on private land and permission to visit
the site is not easily given by the present day owner.
Weobley Castle
Standing desolate upon the northern hilltop overlooking the Burry Estuary
and most of the North Gower coast is Weobley Castle . Along with a few
other castles on the Gower Peninsula , this building is not an actual
castle at all but is, in fact, an early 14th century fortified manor
house.
The castle was built by the de la Bere family who lived here for over
a century. Although the manor house had been built to sustain military
attack, its main purpose was one of grand residence. It was therefore
hardly surprising that the building was significantly damaged when Owain
Glyndwr, leader of the Welsh rebellion, raided Gower between 1403-1406
with the purpose of reclaiming Wales from its Norman rule. However,
not suffering the full treatment from Glyndwr and his army that Swansea
Castle received, the Weobley manor house recooped and continued to be
the home of the de la Bere family until the mid 15th century when it
seemsthe family moved to Berkshire. The residency was then taken up
by the powerful Sir Rhys ap Thomas.
Sir Rhys ap Thomas had been knighted and made Governor of Wales on
the battlefield of Bosworth in 1485, after triumphantly slaying Richard
III, and had become the close friend of the new Tudor king Henry VII.
During his ownership of Weobley Castle he made several improvements
and additions of typical Tudor-style.
After Sir Rhys ap Thomas relatively short residence, the castle was
owned by the Crown. Henry VIII at first gave the castle as a gift to
Lady Catherine Edgecumbe, but when both the King and Lady Catherine
died in 1547 the Crown leased the castle to Sir William Herbert for
10 years.
Finally, the Mansel family of Llanrithrid procured the castle, which
they owned for many generations until 1911, when Miss Emily Charlotte
Mansel Talbot of Penrice Castle signed the castle over to the appropriate
government department dealing with architecture.
Over more recent years a certain amount of renovation and restoration
work has been carried out and maintained by the government department
CADW - who deal with Welsh historic monuments. Today, the well maintained
castle is open to the public (for a small fee) and hosts a comprehensive
exhibition on both its own history as well details of other historic
attractions of the peninsula.
Opening Hours:
Summer - April to October 9.30am - 6pm
Winter - October to March 9.30am - 4pm
Closed: December 24,25,26 and January 1
No Dogs Allowed
Tel: 01792 390012 for up to date information.
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