Barry Castle

Barry Castle is a small ruined gatehouse in Romilly, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. It stands among grass and low walls in a quiet residential area. The gatehouse once controlled the entrance to a larger courtyard and hall. The castle began as a wooden ringwall in the 12th century built by the Barry family. Its name comes from the nearby island where St Barruca’s chapel once stood. The knight William de Barry is credited with its early construction. Over centuries it changed from wood to stone as new owners added buildings. The castle’s stone phase started in the late 13th century under John de Barry. A southern great hall and the distinctive gatehouse were added then. In 1316 the castle was attacked and badly damaged during Llywelyn Bren’s revolt against Edward II. Despite this, it was repaired and extended again. The gatehouse has a pointed portal with a portcullis and double doors. Above the passage a small room may once have been a chapel. A curving passage on the upper floor linked to the wall-walk. Visitors today see the gatehouse’s ogival portal and Gothic window still standing. Fragments of walls remain on the north and east sides. An arrowslit is visible in the masonry. The site is open and easy to walk around. The ruins give a sense of the castle’s layered past. The gatehouse’s upper floor shows how rooms once connected. From the site there are views across Barry towards the coast.