Laugharne castle
Laugharne is perhaps best known for its associations with Dylan Thomas, but for the past 20 years, the picturesque castle, sited on the Taf estuary, has been the subject of painstaking archaeological investigation and gradual restoration. There was probably a Norman castle here by the early 12th century, though the upstanding remains can be traced back no further than the work of the de Brian family in the late 13th century. From the de Brians and their descendants, in 1488 the lordship and castle passed to the earls of Northumberland. In 1584, Elizabeth I granted Laugharne to Sir John Parrott, said to Laugharne castle have been the illegitimate son of Henry VIII. The castle stands on a low cliff by the side of the Coran stream, overlooking the estuary of the river Taf. Laugharne may be the castle mentioned in about 1116 as the castle of Robert Courtemain, but the first definite reference to the Norman castle is in 1189 when, after the death of King Henry II, it was seized by the Lord Rhys, prince of Deheubarth. It attracted further hostility from the Welsh in 1215 when it was destroyed by Llywelyn the Great and later, in 1257, when it was again taken and burnt. The early 12th century castle was probably a ringwork, and traces of an important building with a large hearth have been found during excavations at the site. The castle was remodelled in the second half of the 12th century; the interior of the ringwork was partially filled in, new defences were constructed and a large rectangular hall was built on the north. By the time of the Welsh attack in 1257, the castle was in the ownership of the de Brian family and it was Guy de Brian IV who, evidently determined to create a much more defensible structure, started to build the strong masonry castle which we see today
Size: 4256px × 2832px
Location: Laugharne castle
Photo credit: © Andrew Chittock Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: boats, brian, castle, de, dylan, eea, estuary, excavation, laugharne, norman, taf, thomas
