Morgraig Castle

Morgraig Castle stands on Craig Llanishen, an escarpment near the border between Caerphilly and Cardiff. Built in the 13th century, it was never finished or occupied, leaving only ruins. The castle overlooks the lowlands towards Cardiff, offering quiet views today. Its rectangular shape and unusual features have puzzled historians for decades. Some argue it was built by the English Lord Gilbert de Clare, while others credit the Welsh Lord of Senghennydd. The debate centres on the use of Sutton stone, which could only be obtained from one quarry controlled by the de Clares. The site was first identified in 1895 by archaeologists from Cardiff Museum led by John Ward. Excavations began in 1903, funded by Lord Windsor, revealing spiral staircases and carved doorways. Later studies by Cadw and the Royal Commission in 1997–98 found no evidence of occupation. Jack Spurgeon, an amateur historian, suggests the castle’s features mix Welsh and English styles. Brian Davies of the Gelligaer Historical Society proposed in 2009 that the Lord of Senghennydd built it with help from Llywelyn ap Gruffudd’s surveyors. Visitors find grassy mounds and crumbling stone walls marking the castle’s outline. The remains include tower bases and a newel post where a spiral staircase once rose. The battlements have vanished, but the layout of the walls still shows the original plan. The site is peaceful, with no crowds and only the wind and distant traffic breaking the silence. The view stretches across the valleys, linking the past with the present. It is a place where history is read in stone rather than grand displays.