Super Special Weobley Castle (It’s Not Quite A Castle)

A 14th-century fortified manor house on the Gower Peninsula, Wales built between 1304 and 1327 by the de la Bere family.

As with so many castles in this part of the world, Owain Glyndŵr had a bash at destroying it in the early 15th century and although he and his forces did some damage, most of it was left standing. It’s thought by some that John de la Bere who died in 1403 was a casualty of Glyndŵr’s incursion.

It’s a castle that isn’t really a castle which has some smashing views and a bizarre assortment of window styles.  Clearly the De La Bere family couldn’t make up their minds about what sort of windows they preferred so had a variety.  It must have been the medieval version of letting your teenage daughter paint their bedroom black because they are going through a goth phase. 

Tretower Court and Castle

A Castle Tower AND an Intact Medieval Manor House!

The castle, a motte and bailey was founded by Picard, a follower of Bernard de Neufmarché in the 12th century. Picard’s son, Roger Picard I, replaced the motte with a shell keep. By about 1230 a tall cylindrical keep was added to the inside of the shell keep, possibly by his great-grandson, Roger Picard II. At the beginning of the 14th century, the Picards tired of loving in a cramped castle, and so the north range of Tretower Court was built. They sit in the village of Tretower, near Crickhowell in modern-day Powys, previously within the historical county of Breconshire or Brecknockshire.

Dryslwyn Castle – A Proper Welsh Castle

Dryslwyn Castle is a 13th-century castle, thought to be built by one of the Welsh princes of Deheubarth. It sits upon a hill overlooking the Twi Valley and commands some stunning views, even on a cold and rainy day such as this one.

It is one of the most important structures built by a Welsh chieftain still remaining. It is an excellent defensive position and is thought perhaps to have been a fortification in prehistoric times, although no evidence of this remains.