Penmark Castle

Penmark Castle is a ruined stone castle of two courtyards built on the top of river cliffs overlooking the valley of the Duffryn Brook. The ruin is behind the parish church and is in an old orchard now used to graze cattle – the gate had a “Private Property – Keep Out” sign on it when I visited. Not much of the castle remains, and it is overgrown in places and hidden behind the old fruit trees, making it hard to understand the layout.

The lands of Penmark were held by Gilbert de Umfraville in the early 12th century, named in tradition as one of the “Twelve Knights” following Robert fitzHamon in his conquest of Glamorgan. The castle was probably founded before 1104, when Gilbert is first named, and remained with the Umfraville family for over 200 years. By 1233, when the seventh Umfraville and third Gilbert of Penmark had recently inherited, it is likely that he castle had been rebuilt in stone. This Gilbert had a thirty year career which started out by supporting the rebellion of Richard Marshal, and perhaps into the early stages of the dispute between King Henry III and Simon de Montfort, as his lands in Penmark in 1262 were recorded as being worth £60 per year. The same year his son Henry succeeded him, and in 1307, when he was succeeded by his brother John, the castle is first mentioned. When John died early in the reign of Edward III, he left two daughters, and the elder, Elizabeth, inherited Penmark.

Elizabeth was married to the St John lord of neighbouring Fonmon, and it seems likely that the castle went into decline as a secondary property, and although it is supposed to have ultimately been destroyed during the Glyndwr revolt, it remained tenanted into the 16th century at least before being used for its materials. What remains shows that the castle had an outer courtyard to the west surrounded by a ditch, and this may have been walled in stone, although only a post-medieval dovecote remains at the edge of the river cliff. The line of the enclosure is clear, however, with a well-defined earth bank. The inner courtyard was certainly walled in stone, and was also provided with a ditch; this is most impressive at the eastern end where it widens out before dropping down the cliff edge. At the south-eastern part of the inner courtyard, the land is notably higher, and it is likely that the confused masonry here was the site of the main residential range. Between this and the west wall is a gap which presumably was the site if the entrance to the inner ward. Late in the 13th century, a round tower was erected at the north-western corner of the inner courtyard, overlooking the river. This had a rectangular extension which contained latrines, and was extended in the 14th century over the edge of the cliff. This is the most prominent and visible section of masonry and is shown in the photograph.