History Of Laugharne Castle

Wales, a land of myth and legend, natural beauty and mystique. Everybody knows the colossal castles of Raglan, Caerphilly, Pembroke and Cardiff, but in today's video we'll be exploring this great countryside as we uncover the lesser known historic castles which crown the hills and valleys of South Wales. Welcome to the hidden castles of South Wales. The second castle on our adventure is one of the most impressive castles in all of Wales. Welcome to Larn Castle. It is thought that the first castle built on this site was constructed in around 1116, however the first reliable reference to a fortress here comes in 1189 when a Norman castle was under construction under the orders of Robert Courtman, who was likely a Norman marcher lord. Peace talks were held at this castle between the Welsh and the King of England who we mentioned earlier, Henry II, but hostilities broke out after Henry's death when the Lord Rees seized the castle. The imposing fortress that you see today is largely from the 13th century, where castle building arguably reached its pinnacle in defensive construction design. The castle's location, sitting atop a low cliff, makes the walls look very tall and formidable and makes for some beautifully picturesque scenes. The small river that cascades in the foreground is the Coran Stream, which feeds into the Taff Estuary. During the Middle Ages, the water likely came right up to the cliff edge and, by default, the castle walls, making this a truly well defendable fortress. The castle witnessed some turbulent days during its lifetime. In 1215, it was largely destroyed by Llewellyn the Great, and another siege in 1257 saw the castle burnt to the ground, leaving behind just a stone shell. The 14th century, however, saw a time of peace for Larne, with more construction work focusing largely on renovating the domestic buildings inside the castle rather than the defences itself. Financial strains began to impede the success of the de Bryon family, who owned Larne Castle, and for a period of time, only a section of the castle was actually lived in, with the rest being left to disrepair. Fortunes changed in 1575, when Elizabeth I granted the castle to Sir John Perrault, who, in turn, converted the castle into a splendorous Tudor mansion, aspects of which can be seen by the stereotypically Tudor gatehouse which survives today in a semi-ruinous state. Interestingly, it is understood that the original medieval castle was mostly built from red sandstone before its later 13th century expansion, and this original stone can still be seen dotted throughout the lower sections of the castle walls and towers. By the time of the English Civil War, Larne Castle was already in a mostly ruinous state, but the final nail in the coffin came when the Royalists captured the castle in 1644, followed by a swift recapture by the Parliamentarian forces, where Larne Castle was subsequently slighted and left to ruin. The decaying fortress spent the remainder of its life as a romantic ruin throughout the Victorian period, and now is under the protection of Caddo, where it stands proud as a hidden gem in the quaint little Welsh town by the water.