Ogmore Castle
Ogmore Castle overlooks a river crossing of the River Ewenny and was one of three castles built to protect the Normans invaders of Glamorgan from the Welsh they were attempting to conquer. The castle was begun by William de Londres in 1106 as a motte and bailey castle. It was then reconstructed in stone shortly thereafter, and further fortified in the 13th century by a stone curtain wall. The oblong keep is credited to William’s son, Maurice, and is possibly the oldest Norman keep in Glamorgan. The castle was protected by a deep, rock-cut ditch, which was dry except when the water level of the River Ewenny rose during high tide. At that time, the flow was regulated by an embedded stone wall that blocked rising waters so that the interior of the castle itself did not flood. Original features Read more…
Clun Castle
Clun Castle is an 11th century Norman Castle built in Shropshire in the borderlands between England and Wales, known as the March. It was begun by Robert de Say shortly after the Norman conquest of England. The Norman castle replaced a Saxon fortress that had been built by Eadric the Wild, and became an important defensive point in the initial conquest of this region’s Saxons by the Normans. The remains today consist primarily of the shell of what was once an 80 foot keep, dating to the 13th century and located on the north side of the motte. Unusually, this keep is somewhat off center, possibly to allow the foundations greater reach and avoid placing excessive pressure on the motte itself. Each floor had its own large fireplace and five windows. Other remains include a single wall of what may Read more…
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