Visited July 2019

Location	Ogmore, nr. Brigend
Entrance Fee	No
Railway Station Nearby	No
Parking	Yes
Facilities	None
Map

Situated on the bank of the River Ewenny, this small but picturesque castle makes an ideal visit, with lots of things to do in the surrounding area. The ancient stepping stones across the river are also popular, as are the horse riding stables next door.

Review

The Normans certainly left there mark on this area of Glamorgan, with  two castles at nearby Brigend - Coity Castle & Newcastle  and a fortified priory up the road at Ewenny Priory  This ring of castles held the Welsh at bay, meaning the Norman Lords were able to quickly establish dominance. William de Londres was the original builder of this castle, it would have started as an earthwork castle, some of which still survives today. William's son Maurice was probably the builder of the stone square keep which can still be viewed on the site.

The castle's strategic position on the riverside made it an important stronghold during the days when Wales was resisting Norman rule. Once things became more peaceful its importance diminished and it was left to fall into ruin.

The  castle site today has a selection of buildings left, none of them have any floors though so the main tower is accessible at ground level only. The buildings include the remains of the gatehouse, domestic buildings with latrines, a lime kiln and a vaulted room accessed by a step, which had been made from the remains of a cross which was pre-Norman in date. Perhaps the Normans saw it lying around and thought they would recycle it! Although the piece of the cross is supposedly in the Museum of Wales there was a part of a cross shaft on display at the castle, I have no idea if this is the same one or if there are two pre-Norman crosses associated with the site.

The castle seems very popular, especially in the height of the summer season. The stepping stones across the river are also popular, there were dogs, grandparents , tiny children going across with no problems. For some reason Mum was scared (the water was only up to her shins so it would not have been a disaster if she had have fallen in!) but everyone else seemed to enjoy it. 

There are no facilities at the castle but there are several pubs and cafes nearby if you need a refreshment stop.

The one thing to be wary about when visiting Ogmore Castle is the car park. It is next to the river so can flood sometimes, but it is also full of potholes. There is a lay-by on the main road (Ogmore Road) which is about a 5 minute walk away, that might be a better parking option if you want to avoid the car park problems. (Disclaimer-We have not checked out this lay-by parking option ourselves)

More info:  CADW Ogmore Castle