Europe · United Kingdom · Swansea

Penrice Castle

13th centuryMedieval

The story

History of Penrice Castle

Penrice Castle · 13th century

Penrice Castle () is a 13th-century castle near Penrice, Swansea on the Gower Peninsula, Wales. Nearby is a neo-classical mansion house built in the 1770s.

United Kingdom · Swansea

Built
13th century
Era
Medieval
Country
United Kingdom
Region
Swansea
UNESCO
—
Coordinates
51.575, -4.170

In depth

The fuller history

Penrice Castle is the 13th-century successor to a strong ringwork to the south east, known as the Mountybank. It was built by the de Penrice family, who were given land there for their part in the Norman Conquest of Gower. The last de Penrice married a Mansel in 1410 and the castle and its lands passed to the Mansel family. The Mansels later bought Margam Abbey and made it their main seat, while retaining their Gower lands. The castle was damaged in the 17th-century English Civil War.

The stone castle is a large, irregular hexagon with a round keep on the west side, to which were attached two other towers and a partial mantlet or chemise wall. At the north-west corner is a twin square-towered gatehouse with another tower inside. The ground falls away steeply to the north, east, south and south west, where there are various other turrets, though not scientifically disposed. The whole structure is now in a dangerous condition, but the south wall can be seen from the footpath that runs past the 18th-century mansion on the estate (), immediately to the south.

It entered into the possession of Edward Hancorne following his marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Mansel of Penrice Castle, in 1707. His eldest son Thomas inherited the lands upon his father's death.

Key dates

  1. 1410The last de Penrice married a Mansel in 1410 and the castle and its lands passed to the Mansel family.
  2. 1941Much of the collection was later transferred to Margam Castle in Wales, and sold at auction in 1941.

Historical summary drawn from Wikipedia. Read the full article.

Read more on Wikipedia

Tips & experiences

Been here? Leave a note for the next visitor.

Loading tips…