Pencoed Castle

Pencoed Castle stands at the edge of Wentwood forest, near Llanmartin in south Wales. It is a ruined Tudor mansion built largely in the 16th century, with parts dating back to the late 13th century. The site began as a Norman castle owned by Sir Richard de la More in 1270. The Morgan family later took possession, and Sir Thomas Morgan is thought to have fought at Bosworth in 1485. The present ruins include a tower, gatehouse, main range and great hall, all built in Tudor style. The castle has been altered and restored several times, most notably by Lord Rhondda in the early 20th century. The castle’s history reflects the rise and fall of Welsh gentry families over centuries. It passed from the Morgans to the Montagus in the 16th century, then to the Jeffreys and Mathews families. By the 19th century it was owned by industrialists and MPs, including Sir Mark Wood and Admiral Thomas Mathews. Plans to restore or redevelop the site have repeatedly failed, and it has served as farm buildings, a filming location and even a chicken shed. The castle was listed Grade II* in 1952, recognising its national importance. Visitors approach along a farm lane to find the ruins set in a working farmyard. The south-west tower still stands intact, built of Old Red Sandstone. The gatehouse is a grand three-storey Tudor structure with turrets, while the main range rises to three storeys with a battlemented parapet. Nearby are the remains of a dovecote and a range of stone barns from the 16th and 17th centuries. The grounds include traces of a Tudor terraced garden, though the interior of the house is entirely ruined. The site remains closed to the public, but its dramatic ruins and layered history can be viewed from outside.