A quick drive out in the car yesterday saw us in the little village of Llanblethian, Cowbridge, where my need of finding somewhere to photograph outweighed the want of fining somewhere to stop for a spot of lunch. Before i knew it i was off the beaten track and was following tourist information signs. Not knowing where i was going and travelling for a little while up a small farmers lane we came across the remains of a castle, St. Quentins castle.
Around 1102 Robert Fitzhamon, the first Norman Lord of Glamorgan bequeathed the lands of Llanblethian as a lordship to Herbert de St Quentin who is thought to have built the first fortification at the site of the castle. This initial construct was believed to have been a simple ringwork defence with timber walls, a bank and ditch. A rectangular stone keep was built in the late 12th century, whose remains can now be found within the later gatehouse. This keep may have replaced a similar wooden structure.
Entrance to the gatehouse
The first inner chamber
The remains of the castle top
The View from the upper floor toward the keep
The long decent to ground level
From the keep looking back toward the gatehouse
I hope you have enjoyed this as much as we did
Yes, I think that I enjoy it too, great photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Bob
DeleteWhoa! Great place and terrific photos. I want to go there.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbra, i think it would be one heck of a day trip for you to come here :)
DeleteThanks for the comment
wow! just out for a drive and stumbled upon a castle... something i do every day. :)
ReplyDeleteYou would be surprised just how many castles we have in Wales. Do a search on google, i think you will be surprised.
DeleteWhat a fabulous discovery to make! Great shots!
ReplyDeleteThanks Red, im hoping that i will be able to find more like this in the future
DeleteGosh, I wish I could stumble upon something like that!!! What a gorgeous castle!
ReplyDeleteCheers Tammy, you would be shocked if i told you the things that you manage to stumble upon in this area. I'll see what i can come up with.
DeleteThanks for the comment
What a find! Lucky you! Isn't it great when things like this happen. Wonderful photos...I really enjoyed these!
ReplyDeleteHi Helene, im glad you liked them. I cherish it when i find things like this. Lets hope for more.
DeleteShaun
Looks like a neat place to wander about.
ReplyDeleteIndeed it was john
DeleteHow cool is that? Love your first shot! What a great find and beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteCheers BJK, and the best thing is that they have a huge lake for fishing nearby. cha ching
DeleteOh WOW!! A wonderful Welsh castle... but there are so many in Wales & the UK. Reminds me a little of Chepstow castle. You might be interested in my post back in December of Chepstow (excuse the quality as it was back in Sept/Oct 2010 before I bought my DSLR)
ReplyDeletehttp://amothersfaithhopeandlove.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/fabulous-friday-skywatch-fridaychepstow.html
I think it's so cool that one can jump in a car, looking for adventure, and find a castle--we don't have anything like that here. Thanks for letting me ride along.
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