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Morgraig Castle today

Wales · Partial ruin

Morgraig Castle

Castell Morgraig

Morgraig Castle is a 13th-century ruined castle sited on the Craig Llanishen escarpment near the border of Caerphilly and Cardiff, Wales. It was built between 1243 and 1267 but appears never to have been completed or occupied; the site is a scheduled monument and a Grade II listed building.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1260

Today

Partial ruin

As it stood in 1260

What Morgraig Castle looked like in its prime.

Rectangular 13th-century castle sited on a grassy escarpment, its low curtain wall and tower bases built of pale buff–grey Sutton stone in coursed ashlar and rubble. The silhouette is defined by short, squared tower stumps set into the curtain, with traces of taller walling and crenellated battlements recorded on the wall tops. A stone newel for a spiral stair rises from first-floor level inside one tower; carved doorway and window stones are visible but no intact roofs or internal domestic buildings are present.

Its story

The story of Morgraig Castle.

Morgraig Castle was built in the 13th century, between 1243 and 1267, on the Craig Llanishen escarpment overlooking Cardiff, near the southern border of the county borough of Caerphilly. It appears never to have been completed or occupied, and who built it is still debated: either Gilbert de Clare or the Welsh Lord of Senghennydd.

One argument holds the builder must have been English, resting on the Sutton stone used in its construction, quarried near Ogmore-by-Sea, where the de Clares' Ogmore Castle stood guard. Against this, a Gelligaer Historical Society study notes that relations between the Lord of Senghennydd and the de Clares were generally friendly until the Second Barons' War of 1264–67, and after Llywelyn ap Gruffudd destroyed the de Clare castle at Llangynwyd in 1257, the Lord of Senghennydd could have obtained the stone himself.

The alliance did not last: in 1266, after the Lord of Senghennydd and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd aligned with Simon de Montfort, Gilbert de Clare arrested the Lord of Senghennydd. The unfinished castle was excavated from the summer of 1903 under Ward, financed by Lord Windsor, and is today a scheduled monument and a Grade II listed building.

Step inside

7 places to explore in 1260.

The record describes 7 distinct spots at Morgraig Castle, including 4 interiors: open interior courtyard, tower stump showing newel post, keep foundation footprint and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach on Craig Llanishen escarpmentClose view of curtain wallOpen interior courtyardTower stump showing newel postKeep foundation footprintCarved doorway and window stonesView from battlements over the vale

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Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Morgraig Castle.

Millennium Stadium, WalesStadiumMillennium Stadium8 km awayCardiff City Stadium, WalesStadiumCardiff City Stadium9 km away

Questions about Morgraig Castle

What is the history of Morgraig Castle?

Morgraig Castle was built in the 13th century, between 1243 and 1267, on the Craig Llanishen escarpment overlooking Cardiff. Its builder remains disputed: candidates are Gilbert de Clare and the Welsh Lord of Senghennydd. Excavations began in 1903 under John Ward, financed by Lord Windsor, and the castle appears never to have been completed or occupied.

What is inside Morgraig Castle?

Inside Morgraig Castle, visitors can see an open courtyard, tower stumps and the footprint of the keep. One tower retains a stone newel post for a spiral staircase rising from the first floor. Carved stones from doorways and windows survive, but there are no intact roofs or internal domestic buildings.

Where is Morgraig Castle?

Morgraig Castle is on the Craig Llanishen escarpment in Caerphilly, close to the border between Caerphilly and Cardiff and overlooking Cardiff. The site lies near the southern border of the county borough of Caerphilly.

When was Morgraig Castle built?

Morgraig Castle was built in the 13th century, after 1243 and before 1267. The site record places its construction between 1243 and 1267, while its prime year is given as 1260.

What did Morgraig Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Morgraig Castle was a rectangular castle with a low curtain wall and short, squared tower stumps set into the curtain. Its pale buff–grey Sutton stone was laid in coursed ashlar and rubble. Traces of taller walling and crenellated battlements remained on the wall tops, with carved doorway and window stones visible.

Is Morgraig Castle still standing or is it a ruin?

Morgraig Castle is a partial ruin. Its low curtain wall, tower bases, keep foundation footprint, tower newel post and carved doorway and window stones survive, but no intact roofs or internal domestic buildings remain. The castle is now a scheduled monument and a Grade II listed building.

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