Morris Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morris Castle |
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| Alternative names | Castle Graig |
| General information | |
| Type | Residential tower block |
| Location |  Swansea, Wales |
| Address | Near Trewyddfa Road, Morriston, Swansea SA6 |
| Coordinates | 51°39′1.28″N 3°56′20.11″W / 51.6503556°N 3.9389194°W |
| Construction started | 1768 |
| Completed | 1774 |
| Owner | Swansea City Council |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
Morris Castle (also known as Castle Graig) is a ruined building in Swansea, South Wales. It stands near Trewyddfa Road. This unique building was constructed between 1768 and 1774. It was built by Sir John Morris to provide homes for the families of workers at his factories, especially the copper works in Landore.
Contents
What is Morris Castle?
Morris Castle was once a very interesting building. It had four towers, each four stories high. These towers were connected by smaller blocks that were three stories tall. All of these parts surrounded a central courtyard.
What it looks like today
Today, Morris Castle is a ruin. Only parts of two towers are still standing. However, you can still see some of its original features. These include fireplaces, chimneys, and some of the windows. It gives us a peek into how it looked long ago.
Why Was Morris Castle Built?
Sir John Morris built Morris Castle for his workers. He wanted to provide comfortable homes for them. In 1815, a writer named Walter Davies described the building. He said Sir John Morris was a great builder of homes for working people.
Life at the Castle
Davies wrote that Morris Castle looked like a large, castle-like college. It had a courtyard inside. This building provided homes for about 40 families. Most of these families were coal miners. There was also a tailor and a shoemaker. They were important for everyone living there.
What Happened to Morris Castle?
People lived in Morris Castle until around 1850. At that time, mining started happening very close to the building. This open-cast mining made the structure unsafe. Because of the danger, people had to move out.
Recent History and Efforts to Save It
On January 25, 1990, a strong storm caused part of the building to collapse. The easternmost wall fell down due to high winds. Later, Swansea City Council bought the building. It is now listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw. This means it is a special historical site that needs protection.
In 2015, people started a campaign to bring attention to Morris Castle. They created a Facebook group called "Friends of Castle Graig (Morris House)". There is also a petition on Change.org. These efforts aim to help protect and highlight this important historical ruin.
