Swansea Castle

Welcome to Swansea Castle, the oldest building in the city and a resilient survivor of over nine hundred years of history. As we stand here in the shadow of these stone ruins, we are at the very heart of what was once the Norman…

We begin our exploration by considering the origins of this site as a Norman 'ringwork' castle. When Henry de Beaumont arrived in 1106, he didn't build in stone; he built with earth and wood. …

The most striking architectural feature of the ruins we see today is the 'arcaded parapet' on the southern block. These beautiful, open stone arches were added around the year 1330, likely by Henry de Gower, the Bishop of St…

While much of the castle's upper floors have vanished, the lower levels offer a fascinating glimpse into medieval life. The surviving remains include five tunnel-vaulted basement rooms. …

In the early 20th century, a significant portion of the castle's historic interior was demolished to make way for a modern intruder: the offices of the South Wales Daily Post. It was here, in the 1930s, that a young Dylan Thomas…

One of the most remarkable chapters in the castle's history is its survival of the Three-Night Blitz in February 1941. During this catastrophic air raid, the Luftwaffe dropped thousands of incendiary and high-explosive bombs on…

To fully understand Swansea Castle, one must look outward at its current surroundings in Castle Square. This open plaza is the city's central public space, but historically, it was located within the footprint of the castle's…

As we conclude our tour of Swansea Castle, I hope you have gained a deeper understanding of this resilient monument. It is far more than just a set of ruins; it is a physical timeline of the city's evolution. …