Swansea Castle

Urban remnants of a once-mighty fortress

Though what little remains of Swansea Castle is now hemmed in by the modern-day city centre, this was once a fortress of great strategic importance. Nowadays, it’s difficult to envisage its original location on a clifftop above where the River Tawe used to flow, controlling a harbour and important east–west route along southern Wales.

Though there has been a castle here since at least the early 12th century, the remains that stand today date from the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The most striking feature is the distinctive arcaded parapet on the south block, remarkably similar that of the bishops’ palaces at St Davids and Lamphey.

Local lad Dylan Thomas worked as a young reporter at newspaper offices (now demolished) on the castle site.