Visited April 2024

Location	Llantrisant
Entrance Fee	No
Railway Station Nearby	Pontyclun
Parking	Yes - Town car parks
Facilities	None
Map

The weather was not kind to us on the day we visited, so we weren't expecting our time at the castle to be long. But we were pleasantly surprised about how long we lingered at the site-even in the rain!

Review

The remains of the castle are very scant- consisting of a ruined tower and some of the surrounding wall. The remains are also gated off so you can't get too close. However, they are sited in a lovely little park and you can walk all the way round the remains to view them. The park also has a good view of Llantrisant and beyond. On a good day there were views to Devon from the castle tower, but sadly that it not possible to check out as the tower isn't accessible.

Standing at the very bottom of the slope in the park and looking up towards the castle, you get a sense of what the castle was like to view before the town of Llantrisant was built around it. Situated at the top of a hill, the castle would have been visible for miles around- certainly a reminder of the might of the castle owner. Talking of which, it s not clear who originally had the castle built, but Robert Fitzroy, Lord of Glamorgan is a strong contender. This timber castle was then rebuilt and fortified in stone under Richard de Clare in 1246. Exactly 100 years later in 1346, skilled archers from Llantrisant fought for Edward III in the Battle of Crecy against the French. The town became famous for its bowmen. 

Next to the castle is Llantrisant Guildhall, which is a medieval building, possibly built into the castle walls. It was from here that the task of administering the growing town was carried out. This included facilitating trade in the town, and a system of allowing trade between Freemen of the town was developed. This guild still exists today, with the Freemen still playing an active part in affairs of the town. Inside the Guildhall there is a fascinating exhibition into the history of the town and the role of the Freemen, including information on the ceremonial mace; this dates back to 1633 and so that makes it older than the mace used in the House of Commons. 

There is also information on the Ceremony of Beating the Bounds- which takes place every seven years. It is a seven mile walk around the boundary of the ancient town. This often involves the children of the Freemen being 'bumped' at certain points along the way, which is explained in the Guildhall exhibition also.Downstairs is a lovey cafe and toilets. 

We combined a trip to the castle and guildhall with a trip to the nearby Royal Mint. This is very child friendly and also has a  cafe. There are many displays and you can even mint your own coin! There is an 'airport style' security check on entering the coin-producing areas of the mint, so be warned. On the whole it is a good  attraction to go along side a trip to the castle.

More info:  Llantrisant Castle

The Royal Mint