Morlais Castle facts for kids
Morlais Castle is an old castle from the 1200s. It sits high above the Taff Gorge near a town called Merthyr Tydfil in Wales.
A Castle's Story
Building this castle started around the year 1290. A powerful lord named Gilbert de Clare, 3rd Earl of Gloucester began building it. But the land he chose was also claimed by another important lord, Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford.
This disagreement led to a fight between the two lords. King Edward I of England had to travel all the way from North Wales to stop them! He was very upset and made them pay big fines.
Later, in 1294, a Welsh leader named Madog ap Llywelyn captured the castle.
It's believed that Morlais Castle was never fully finished. Its location was also very far away and open to the weather. This meant it wasn't a good place for someone to live. Even in 1741, old drawings show that parts of the walls were still standing tall.
What the Castle Looked Like
The castle had an inner area shaped like a triangle, about 45 meters (148 feet) on each side. Inside this area was a round tower, called a keep, which was 17 meters (56 feet) wide. There were also D-shaped towers with stairs.
The main entrance was between two of these towers. On one side, there was a separate building about 25 meters (82 feet) long. A smaller, almost square building connected it to a tower. In front of one tower, there was a deep hole, probably for storing water.
The outer part of the castle had a D-shaped tower at one corner. This tower had a basement with a cool, arched ceiling. Against the eastern wall was a large, thick-walled building.
Today, not much of the castle remains. Only one room is still standing. This room would have been at the bottom of the main keep. Small parts of the old walls also show us where the castle once stood.
A moat, which is a deep ditch, goes around most of the castle. One part of the moat has disappeared. This might be because of a nearby lime quarry. Next to the castle, you can find the 18-hole Morlais Castle golf course.
