Pennard Castle

Pennard Castle is a stone ruin standing on a limestone cliff 49 meters above Three Cliffs Bay, overlooking the bay and Pennard Pill stream below. The site contains remains of a gatehouse with two circular towers and displays the typical construction of this medieval fortification.

The fortification was built around 1200 by Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Warwick, as part of the Norman conquest strategy to control South Wales. In the 16th century, shifting sand dunes forced the site to be completely abandoned.

The ruins display medieval architecture with red sandstone walls and a gatehouse that reflect how people built fortifications during that era. Visitors can see the structural choices that shaped military construction in this region.

The site remains open to visitors year-round and is accessible by foot from Penmaen village. Walking trails connect the ruins to nearby bays and pass through archaeological areas between the two coastal zones.

The sand dune movement that forced abandonment paradoxically helped preserve the ruins by covering the stonework and protecting it from further erosion. This natural process essentially sealed and protected the site.

Location: Pennard

Inception: 12 century

Founders: Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick

Elevation above the sea: 42.6 m

GPS coordinates: 51.57651,-4.10205

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:41