Pennard Castle

Pennard Castle stands on the Gower Peninsula in south Wales, near the modern village of Pennard. Built in the early 12th century as a timber ringwork after the Norman invasion, it was later rebuilt in stone by the Braose family at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. The castle included a stone gatehouse and walls up to eight metres tall, with mural towers and a gatehouse entrance. It overlooked the Pennard Pill stream and Three Cliffs Bay, protected by cliffs to the north and west. A settlement grew around the site, including a church and a rabbit warren in nearby sand dunes. The castle’s history reflects the Norman advance into South Wales and the challenges of coastal erosion. Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Warwick, conquered the Gower Peninsula and made Pennard one of his manors. The Braoses rebuilt the castle after abandoning nearby Penmaen due to sand dunes. By the 17th century, the castle was described as ‘desolate and ruinous’, and sand encroachment led to its abandonment. The gatehouse partially collapsed by 1879, and further collapses occurred in the 20th century. Today, the ruins of the gatehouse survive up to the battlements on its east side, with parts of the curtain wall still standing. The remains include the square mural tower and sections of the north and east walls, averaging five metres tall. The site is protected as a Grade II* listed building and a scheduled ancient monument. Visitors can explore the ruins and imagine the castle’s past, with views over the surrounding landscape and nearby Three Cliffs Bay.