Coity Castle

On one of those muddled, hazy days between Christmas and New Year – when you’ve forgotten your own name let alone what day it is – Sunny dragged me from my preferred spot on the sofa snoozing off Christmas to take me Coity Castle.

It’s a strange place; perched on the side of a hill in one of the suburbs of Bridgend, it’s surrounded by houses and so the crumbling battlements and towers stick out like a sore thumb. Honestly, I had no idea the place even existed – and since my medieval history is a bit pants I had no idea what I was looking at until I got home and fired up Google.  Originally built during the Norman Conquest of Wales by Sir Payn “the Demon” de Turberville – one of the legendary Twelve Knights of Glamorgan – the castle was actually still standing all the way up until the 17th century when it was finally abandoned.  (I’m sure once my Dad’s read this he’ll give me a whole essay full of Welsh History to add, but those are the bare bones of the story anyway)

You can walk across the old moat and around the ruins, peer through archways and start up stone staircases that lead to nowhere.  This time of year it’s eerily quiet except for the odd crow call – perfect for a spooky winter stroll.  🙂

I feel like I need to make a trip to all the other castles of the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan now – you know, complete the set!