Clan Rising
Wenvoe Castle today

Wales · Restored

Wenvoe Castle

Castell Gwenfô

Wenvoe Castle was a late-18th-century castellated country house on an estate between Barry and Wenvoe in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. Built in 1776–77 to designs by Robert Adam for Peter Birt, the house was largely destroyed by fire in 1910, restored in 1928 and later adapted as the clubhouse for Wenvoe Castle Golf Club; its gardens and park are Grade II listed.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1776

Its prime

1777

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1777

What Wenvoe Castle looked like in its prime.

Late 18th-century Georgian castellated country house: a symmetrical three-storey ashlar central block with regular vertical sash windows and a low battlemented parapet, flanked by taller, slightly projecting square towers; low crenellated curtain walls and matching two-storey pavilions extend at either end. Stone appears pale ashlar. Roofline is flat behind parapets. The house sits on a gentle open lawn within parkland dotted with mature deciduous trees, visible from a wide pastoral approach.

Its story

The story of Wenvoe Castle.

The Wenvoe estate, between Barry and Wenvoe in the Vale of Glamorgan, came to the Thomas family in 1560, when Jevan ap Harpway of Tresimont married Catherine, only daughter and heiress of Thomas ap Thomas. The Thomases were prominent figures in Glamorgan, among them Edmund Thomas, who sat in Cromwell's Upper House, and Colonel Charles Nassau Thomas, vice-chamberlain to the future George IV, until debt forced the estate's sale in 1774.

The buyer was Peter Birt, a Yorkshire coal magnate, for whom the castellated house was built in 1776–77 to designs by Robert Adam. The Birts passed the estate in 1823–24 to the Jenner family, prominent in nineteenth-century Glamorganshire, who gave their name to Barry's Jenner Park district.

The house was largely destroyed by fire in 1910 and restored in 1928. The former estate now forms the Wenvoe Castle Golf Club, with the house adapted as its clubhouse, and the gardens and park are Grade II listed.

Step inside

6 places to explore in 1777.

The record describes 6 distinct spots at Wenvoe Castle, including the full exterior approach. 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 parklandCentral façade and main entranceSouth lawn looking up to the castleEast pavilion and connecting curtain wallBattlement walk and tower detailParkland view framed by trees

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Whose castle

Clans who held Wenvoe Castle.

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

  • Thomas

    Held by the Thomas family from 1560 until debts forced its sale in 1774.

  • Birt

    Bought by Peter Birt, coal magnate, in 1774; the Birts held it until 1823–24.

  • Jenner

    Passed to the Jenner family in 1823–24.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Wenvoe Castle.

Cardiff City Stadium, WalesStadiumCardiff City Stadium6 km awayMillennium Stadium, WalesStadiumMillennium Stadium8 km away

Questions about Wenvoe Castle

What is the history of Wenvoe Castle?

Wenvoe Castle was built in the late 18th century as a castellated country house for Peter Birt. The Thomas family sold the estate to Birt in 1774 after falling into debt, and the Birts passed it to the Jenner family in 1823–24. Much of the building was destroyed by fire in 1910 and restored in 1928.

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

Wenvoe Castle was built as a castellated country house for Peter Birt, a Yorkshire coal magnate. Its later purpose changed when the restored building became the clubhouse of Wenvoe Castle Golf Club, while the former estate became the golf club grounds.

Where is Wenvoe Castle?

Wenvoe Castle is between Barry and Wenvoe in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. It lies within the Vale of Glamorgan administrative area, with Barry as the nearby town or city named in its location.

When was Wenvoe Castle built?

Wenvoe Castle was built in 1776–77, in the late 18th century. The first raised year is given as 1776, while 1777 is identified as its prime year.

Which family or clan held Wenvoe Castle?

Wenvoe Castle was held by the Thomas, Birt and Jenner families. The Thomas family held the estate from 1560 until its sale in 1774; Peter Birt bought it, and the Birts held it until 1823–24, when it passed to the Jenner family.

What did Wenvoe Castle look like in its prime?

Wenvoe Castle was a late-18th-century Georgian castellated country house of pale ashlar. Its symmetrical three-storey central block has sash windows and a low battlemented parapet, flanked by taller square towers. Crenellated curtain walls and two-storey pavilions extend at either end, with a flat roofline behind the parapets.

Is Wenvoe Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Wenvoe Castle is restored rather than a ruin. Much of the building was destroyed by fire in 1910, but it was restored in 1928 with its Georgian appearance and is now adapted as the clubhouse of Wenvoe Castle Golf Club.

Who built Wenvoe Castle?

Wenvoe Castle was commissioned by Peter Birt and designed by the architect Robert Adam. Birt was a Yorkshire coal magnate who bought the estate in 1774, while Adam designed the new castle built in 1776–77.

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