Neath Castle
Norman castle in Neath, Wales, built by Robert of Gloucester.
Neath Castle, known in Welsh as Castell Nedd, is a Norman fortress situated in the centre of Neath, Wales. Work on it likely started between 1114 and 1130 under Robert, Earl of Gloucester, who was the nominal Lord of Glamorgan. It is also called "Granville's Castle," a name tied to Richard I de Grenville, Lord of Neath, who is sometimes thought to have built it. The town itself gets its Welsh name, Castell-nedd, from the castle.
The earliest castle in Neath stood west of the river, near the Roman fort of Nidum, and was a wooden motte-and-bailey structure. When Richard de Grenville established Neath Abbey close by, he left this first castle behind, and the monks may have stripped it for building materials. A second castle, on the opposite riverbank where the town centre now sits, first appears in records from 1183; shortly after that, William de Cogan, son of Miles de Cogan, was made its constable. Gilbert de Clare, the 5th Earl of Gloucester, built this second castle. During the 1200s, as a Norman stronghold, it faced Welsh attacks, notably from Llywelyn the Great, who captured it in 1231 with help from the local Welsh lord Morgan Gam. After that, Richard de Clare, the 6th Earl of Gloucester and Gilbert’s son, carried out a major rebuild.
The castle was taken again—and this time destroyed—in 1321 by Humphrey de Bohun, the 4th Earl of Hereford, during a rebellion against King Edward II. Its owner at the time, Hugh Despenser the Younger, who had gained the lordship by marrying the heiress Eleanor de Clare, rebuilt it, possibly adding a gatehouse. In 1376, Roger Kyngot served as constable, and the castle was rebuilt in stone the following year; this is likely when the great gatehouse—the main feature still standing—was constructed. The castle remained in use into the 1600s, and from the 1700s onward it served as a recreational area for the town. The medieval role of "Constable of Neath Castle" was held by Sir Humphrey Mackworth from 1703, and the title eventually merged into that of the Mayor of Neath. What survives today is a Grade II* listed building.
- location
- Neath, Wales
- type
- Norman castle
- construction_start
- estimated between 1114 and 1130
- builder
- Robert, Earl of Gloucester (credited); also Richard I de Grenville
- notable_attacks
- Captured by Llywelyn the Great in 1231; destroyed by Humphrey de Bohun in 1321
- current_status
- Grade II* listed building; ruins remain
Lore & Background
The first castle in Neath was a timber motte and bailey west of the river near the Roman fort of Nidum. When Richard de Grenville founded Neath Abbey close by, he abandoned this original castle, and it may have been used by the monks as a source of building material. A second castle on the opposite bank, in what is now the town centre, is first documented in 1183; shortly afterwards, William de Cogan was appointed constable. This second castle was built by Gilbert de Clare, 5th Earl of Gloucester.
During the 13th century, being a Norman stronghold, it was subject to attack by the Welsh, notably by Llywelyn the Great, who captured it in 1231 with help from a local Welsh lord, Morgan Gam. Following this, it was substantially rebuilt by Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester, Gilbert's son. It was taken again, and this time destroyed, by Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford, in 1321, during the rebellion against King Edward II of England. Its owner, Hugh Despenser the Younger, rebuilt it, possibly with the addition of a gatehouse.
In 1376, one Roger Kyngot was the constable, and the castle was rebuilt in stone in 1377; that is probably when the great gatehouse was built, which is the main surviving feature. The castle was in use until the 17th century, and has been a recreational area for the town since the 18th century. The post of 'Constable of Neath Castle' was held by Sir Humphrey Mackworth from 1703, and was eventually absorbed into that of Mayor of Neath.
Reader's Guide
Neath Castle represents a significant example of Norman military architecture in Wales, with its construction spanning from the early 12th century through the 14th century. Its history reflects the turbulent Anglo-Welsh conflicts of the medieval period, including capture by Llywelyn the Great in 1231 and destruction during the rebellion against Edward II in 1321. The castle's surviving great gatehouse, built in stone around 1377, is the most prominent remaining feature. The site has served as a recreational area for the town since the 18th century, and its designation as a Grade II* listed building underscores its historical importance. The castle's legacy also includes the honorary title of Constable of Neath Castle, which persisted into the modern era and was eventually merged with the office of Mayor of Neath.
Did You Know?
- The town of Neath takes its Welsh name, 'Castell-nedd', from the castle.
- The castle was captured by Llywelyn the Great in 1231 with help from a local Welsh lord, Morgan Gam.
- The great gatehouse, the main surviving feature, was likely built during a stone rebuilding in 1377.
- The post of Constable of Neath Castle was held by Sir Humphrey Mackworth from 1703 and later absorbed into the Mayor of Neath.
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