Aberafan Castle

Aberafan Castle stands on the west bank of the River Afan’s estuary in Port Talbot, Wales. Built in the early 12th century by Caradog ap Iestyn to guard a river crossing, the castle was destroyed in 1153 by Rhys ap Gruffydd. A later 13th-century rebuild followed, but by the late 14th century it had fallen out of use and was left to decay. By the 19th century only fragments remained, and these were cleared away between 1876 and 1897. The site’s importance lies in its role during the medieval lordships of Afan and Glamorgan. Leisan de Avene granted Aberavon its first charter in 1304, and Edward le Despenser confirmed it around 1373. Floods in 1607 and 1768 damaged the nearby town and church, prompting new bridges designed by William Edwards. The castle’s ruins were gradually absorbed into the growing industrial town. Today the castle site is marked by low earthworks and a few stone remnants near the river. Visitors can walk the riverside paths and see the outline of the old defences against the backdrop of modern Port Talbot. The remains lie close to St Mary’s Church, rebuilt after the 1768 flood, and the later bridges that replaced Edwards’s original span.