Clan Rising
Morlais Castle today

Wales · Partial ruin

Morlais Castle

Castell Morlais

Morlais Castle is a 13th-century castle site above the Taff Gorge near Merthyr Tydfil, begun by Gilbert de Clare and contested in the 1290s. The planned fortress has a triangular inner ward with a round keep and several D-shaped towers, but was probably never completed. Today only fragments of walls and one intact lower keep chamber survive, with the moat still visible and a golf course beside the site.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1300

Its prime

1294

Today

Partial ruin

As it stood in 1294

What Morlais Castle looked like in its prime.

A triangular inner ward approximately 45 m to a side with an inner bailey about 60 m across, dominated at the north corner by a circular keep roughly 17 m in diameter. D-shaped towers occupy the southeast and south positions, the gateway set between them; a freestanding west-range about 25 m long and an almost-square building join the south tower. A deep cistern pit sits before the south tower. Against the east curtain is a large thick-walled building over 20 m long, and a moat encircles most of the site.

Its story

The story of Morlais Castle.

Building of Morlais Castle, above the Taff Gorge near Merthyr Tydfil, was begun by Gilbert de Clare, 3rd Earl of Gloucester, on land claimed by Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford. Warfare broke out between the two earls in 1290, and King Edward I had to march down from North Wales to intervene, severely admonishing and fining them both.

The plan was ambitious: a triangular inner ward with a round keep 17 metres in diameter at the north corner, D-shaped towers, one with a rib-vaulted basement carried on a central pier, a deep cistern pit, and an outer ward. But the castle is believed never to have been fully completed, its location too remote and exposed to serve as a residence.

Little remains today: one room is still intact at the bottom of the main keep, and low walls trace where the castle once stood. The moat stretches around most of the site, though one side has vanished, possibly to the lime quarry there, and an 18-hole golf course now lies to one side of the castle.

Step inside

12 places to explore in 1294.

The record describes 12 distinct spots at Morlais Castle, including 3 interiors: gateway passage, lower chamber of the round keep, southeast d-shaped tower basement. 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 from the Taff GorgeMain gateway (exterior)Gateway passageInner ward courtyardLower chamber of the round keepRound keep (exterior)South tower and cistern pitSoutheast D-shaped tower basementWest freestanding range (25 m building)Large building against the east curtainAlmost-square south range joining the south towerOuter ward and moat

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Whose castle

Clans who held Morlais Castle.

The families that held Morlais Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • de Clare

    Begun by Gilbert de Clare, 3rd Earl of Gloucester, in the 1290s, on land claimed by the de Bohun Earls of Hereford.

From the archive

Morlais Castle on paper: the measured plan and period views.

The survey plan and photographs below are the ground truth this page's reconstructions are checked against, drawn and photographed while the castle was still a working garrison. Every image is public-domain or openly licensed, with its source named.

Plan, Morlais Castle

Plan

1884 · G. T. Clark, Mediaeval Military Architecture, vol. 2 (1884)

Public domain

Section from North to South, Morlais Castle

Section from North to South

1884 · G. T. Clark, Mediaeval Military Architecture, vol. 2 (1884)

Public domain

Section from West to East, Morlais Castle

Section from West to East

1884 · G. T. Clark, Mediaeval Military Architecture, vol. 2 (1884)

Public domain

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Morlais Castle.

Millennium Stadium, WalesStadiumMillennium Stadium36 km awayCardiff City Stadium, WalesStadiumCardiff City Stadium36 km away

Questions about Morlais Castle

What is the history of Morlais Castle?

Morlais Castle is a 13th-century fortress begun by Gilbert de Clare, 3rd Earl of Gloucester, on land claimed by Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford. Warfare between the two earls broke out in 1290, prompting Edward I to intervene. Madog ap Llywelyn captured Morlais Castle in 1294, and it was probably never fully completed because its location was too remote and exposed for a residence.

What is inside Morlais Castle?

Morlais Castle contains a surviving lower chamber in the round keep, as well as a gateway passage and the basement of the southeast D-shaped tower. The tower basement has a rib-vaulted structure carried on a central pier. Only one room remains intact in the bottom of the main keep, while low walls and the moat survive outside.

Why was Morlais Castle built, and what was it used for?

Morlais Castle was built as an ambitious fortress, with a triangular inner ward, a round keep, D-shaped towers, an outer ward and a moat. Its remote and exposed location meant it was not suitable as a residence, and the castle was probably never fully completed. The available material does not describe a later change of purpose.

Where is Morlais Castle?

Morlais Castle is above the Taff Gorge near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. It is associated with Pant and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough. The site lies beside an 18-hole golf course, with the moat extending around most of the castle.

When was Morlais Castle built?

Morlais Castle was built in the 13th century. The first construction is dated to 1300 in the site record, while the castle is also described as 13th-century and its construction began in the 1290s. The material therefore places its building in the late 13th or very early 14th century.

Was Morlais Castle ever attacked or besieged?

Morlais Castle was captured by Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294. Earlier warfare between Gilbert de Clare and Humphrey de Bohun broke out in 1290, and Edward I marched from North Wales to intervene. The supplied material does not describe a formal siege or say how the castle was captured beyond recording that it fell to Madog ap Llywelyn.

Which family or clan held Morlais Castle?

Morlais Castle was begun by the de Clare family, specifically Gilbert de Clare, 3rd Earl of Gloucester. He began it in the 1290s on land claimed by the de Bohun Earls of Hereford. The de Bohun family’s claim to the land led to conflict between the two earls.

What did Morlais Castle look like in its prime?

Morlais Castle had a triangular inner ward about 45 metres to a side, with a roughly 60-metre inner bailey. A circular keep about 17 metres in diameter stood at the north corner, while D-shaped towers, a gateway, ranges and a large thick-walled building completed the plan. A moat encircled most of the site, with a deep cistern pit before the south tower.

Is Morlais Castle still standing or is it a ruin?

Morlais Castle is a partial ruin. Only fragments of its walls and one intact lower chamber in the round keep survive, while low walls indicate the former layout. The moat remains visible around most of the site, although one side has disappeared, possibly because of the lime quarry there.

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