Visited August 2017

Location	Barry, Glamorgan
Entrance Fee	No
Railway Station Nearby	Barry Station
Parking	Roadside
Facilities	None
Map

Review

Sadly there is not much left of Barry Castle, and what is left is in the middle of a residential area in Barry, with seemingly little interest shown in it. This is a shame as it was originally built by the influential de Barri family, who were descended from Odo, a half brother of William the Conqueror. Odo had been granted land in Wales after the conquest, and the family were involved with bringing Welsh under control of the Normans. Although they took their name from the castle they built in Barry, their favoured stronghold was Manorbier Castle in Pembrokeshire. The castle at Barry was however retained by the family and repaired and rebuilt several times until the 16th century.

The remains of the castle consist mainly of a gatehouse, with a visible portcullis groove and  first floor windows of the chamber above, which may have been a chapel but later was used as a court room for hearing disputes. The gatehouse is from a later period of construction, it is not the original Norman building- that was mostly re-modelled in the thirteenth century into the structure we see today. 

Also remaining is the single storey wall of the great hall, built adjacent to the gatehouse. This was two storeys high and had the great hall upstairs with storage and domestic rooms downstairs.

The castle is on a small green which has several benches, but is right on the roadside and is not fenced off, so it is not really suitable for younger children to run around. It is also very small so does not have enough interest for a whole day trip. We have included it on this site is because Barry Island is an area attractive to families as it offers a lot of things for children to do, so thought it was worth reviewing it in case anyone wants to combine a short visit to the castle with a longer day out to Barry Island.

Having visited the castle we went on to sample the delights of Barry Island, which has a large sandy beach, a funfair, crazy golf & plenty of other attractions associated with a seaside resort. There is also a nice walk along the headland known as Friar's Point, but be warned it is windy up there so dress accordingly. We also took full advantage of the fish & chips and ice creams on offer. The day was a nice combination of a historic castle and seaside fun.

More info:  Barry Castle