Oystermouth Castle

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Oystermouth Castle

Oystermouth Castle is a Norman stone castle located overlooking present day Swansea Bay on the east side of the Gower peninsula near the Welsh village of Mumbles. It is seen as the finest surviving castle on the Gower peninsula.

1 The Early Castle
2 In de Braose Hands
3 Decline and Decay
4 Notable features of the Castle
5 References
6 External links

[edit] The Early Castle

The castle was founded by William de Londres of Ogmore Castle soon after 1106. In 1116 the Welsh of Deheubarth overran the Gower peninsula and forced William to flee his castle which was put to the torch. The castle was rebuilt soon afterwards, but was probably destroyed again in 1137 when Gower was once more overrun by the princes of Deheubarth. The Londres or London family finally died out in 1215 when Gower was again overrun by the Welsh. In 1220 the Welsh were expelled from the peninsula and the government of King Henry III returned the barony of Gower to John de Braose who rebuilt both Swansea Castle and Oystermouth.

[edit] In de Braose Hands

In the 13th century the family of William de Braose were Lords of Gower and held the castle as part of their extensive land holdings and titles, including other castles on Gower and in the Welsh Marches. The de Braose dynasty could afford to rebuild Oystermouth castle in stone. A high curtain wall was built, internal buildings added, a chapel, basements,three storey residential buildings with fireplaces and garderobes on each floor. The castle had every residential feature necessary for living in some comfort and was also refortified cleverly. Towards the end of the century Oystermouth rather than Swansea Castle became their principal residence. Edward I paid a brief visit here in December 1284.

By 1331 the Lords of Gower were living elsewhere and the castle declined in importance in the 14th century.

The daughter of the last de Breos Lord, Aline de Breos, who improved the chapel making it one of the finest in any castle in south Wales, later married John de Mowbray, and the Lordship of Gower including the castle at Oystermouth passed to the de Mowbrays through this marriage, and then to the Herbert family, and finally the Somersets, who became successive Marquis of Worcester and finally Dukes of Beaufort.

[edit] Decline and Decay

After the Middle Ages, the castle gradually fell into ruin. A survey of Gower made in 1650 describes Oystermouth Castle as [a]n old decayed castle of no use, but of a very pleasant situation. It was portrayed in art in the 18th century as a picturesque ruin, and was restored by George Grant Francis in the 1840s while the castle was owned by the then Duke of Beaufort.

In 1927 the Duke of Beaufort gave the castle to Swansea Corporation; today, the castle is maintained under the responsibility of the City and County of Swansea council.

[edit] Notable features of the Castle

Oystermouth Castle, showing the gatehouse and the chapel window

On either side of the entrance gate the walls curve inward, showing that at one time there were supposed to be two round towers built into the gatehouse. It is unknown whether these were ever built.

The chapel (on the second floor of the chapel block) has 14th century traceried windows. According to local tradition, the chapel was built under the direction of Aline de Mowbray.